AN ENDURANCE athlete from Liddington plans to cycle 840 miles in under 44 hours.

Ian To, 37, will pedal through the night in a bid to smash the Lands End to John O’Groats cycling world record. It was last broken 17 years ago.

The business consultant, who sets off this morning, said: “The world record is really tight, it was set by Gethin Butler in 2001, and he’s a legend in his own right. Many have tried since, and many have failed to break that record.

“I’m confident I can do it. I want to smash it. It would be making history.”

Ian started cycling aged 23, after a colleague at Nationwide suggested he give it a go.

“I got a pretty rubbishy bike to cycle the mile and a half to work and back,” he said. “At first that was a big deal. There was a big hill.

“The first time I made it up that hill I thought it was amazing. Then I thought, I could do it faster. Then I wanted to know how fast I could do it.”

The dad -of-three has since ridden ultra-long distance races in Italy, Croatia and Sweden. His training recently saw him tackle a 880 mile ride across Croatia.

Ian’s ride will raise cash for charity the National Autistic Society. Ian and his wife Sarah’s daughter, Elise, is on the autistic spectrum.

He said: "It's a good opportunity to give something back."

His family is fully behind him: “I have a very understanding wife, and I hope I am teaching my girls something by trying my best to achieve something. I hope I can be a positive role model, by working hard, and working smart, by demonstrating mental and physical resilience."

To sponsor Ian, visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sarah-to.