A SALISBURY pyro- technician plans to celebrate his 50th birthday this summer with a challenging cycle ride across the Alps, Pyrenees and Cevennes mountain ranges to raise money for landmine and unexploded bomb clearance work around the world.

Phil Deeker, who lives in Castle Street, Salisbury, is gearing up for the challenge in July which will see him cycle over 300 passes in the three mountain ranges in 28 days.

His cycle ride will involve him covering a distance of more than 4,000 kilometres, as well as undertaking 71,000 metres of ascent.

Mr Deeker commutes daily from his home to work in Whiteparish, and often cycles extended routes each way taking in villages around Salisbury.

He said: "I am being accompanied by a guy from Romania who I have not yet met.

"He will be cycling from Romania to the start of the challenge at Annecy.

"This event has already attracted great interest from the national cycling press, and Stonehenge Cycles in Salisbury have been most helpful and are even lending my co-rider a proper road racing bike instead of his current bike which he bought for £35!

"I have chosen the charity Mines Advisory Group, because it relates to my profession, and because I think they do particularly good work.

"I hope to raise at least £4,000, and I am trying to get sponsorship for each hill' we ride up."

Mr Deeker will have his wife, Claire, driving the support car, and he plans to do 28 days of riding, two car transfer days and one rest day.

He said he and his co-rider will cycle to a fixed itinerary, and if anyone else would like to join them for a day or two, they can meet up en route.

If you want to sponsor Mr Deeker and have a photo taken at the top of a particular mountain pass - more than 50 passes have already been booked - e-mail him at philip@painsfireworks.com.