A DETERMINED music teacher has achieved his goal of cycling the length of the country in memory of his baby daughter.

Jon Driver, of Vega Close, Oakhurst and seven friends took on the epic journey from John O’Groats to Lands End in just 13 days and have managed to smash their fundraising target of £5,000 by more than £3,000.

It comes after Isobel Chloe Driver died after being born just six days prematurely last September and Jon, along with the support of his whole family, set himself the challenge to raise thousands of pounds for the Swindon Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (Sands) charity.

Members of Sands have been fundraising to raise the £10,000 needed to complete the garden, which will include benches, a statue and a water feature.

Parents will be invited to paint pebbles in memory of their loved ones to place in the garden and there will be a post box for people to write letters to their children.

Jon, a music teacher at Highworth Warneford School, said he was proud to have completed the challenge.

“It was great, hard work by really good,” he said.

“It took us 13 days riding with the eight of us. We started one bike short and had to rent one but it caught up with us at Inverness.

“It was nice coming down through Kendall because there were lots of hills but then a long downhill section. There were also a few comedy falls but nothing major and no accidents as such.

“We are probably going to raise around £8,500 which is fantastic because the aim was £5,000. Most of it will go towards the Kingsdown Memorial garden, which costs a little bit more than what we’ve raised but this will go a long way to helping.

“It’s brilliant that we’ve had so much support from friends, family and also the pupils at Highworth Warneford School and local businesses.”

To learn more about the charity, log onto www.swindonsands.org or call the support line on 01793 238 788.