THOUSANDS of people in Africa are now cycling instead of walking the 20 miles to get to work or school thanks to fundraising in memory of Rory Walworth from Downton.

Rory, who was a talented rugby star, died while cycling off-road at Witherington Down, near the A36 at Pepperbox Hill, when his mountain bike collided with a tractor five years ago.

Since then his family have been raising funds for the Wheels4Life charity.

The charity provides free bikes for people in need of transportation in the developing world.

The people helped often live in remote areas with no access to public transport, and the closest school, doctor or work-place could be ten or 20 miles away.

The White Horse pub in Downton will be holding the fifth Winter Sale on November 7 between 9.30am and 4pm.

Raising funds for the charity Wheels4Life, the Winter Sale has grown over the years and has become an important event in the village.

Known for its great atmosphere, scores of stalls selling food, china, jewellery, clothes and shoes, leather ware, toys and gifts attract the early Christmas shopper and browsers.

Carmen Rey from Wheels4Life said: “What the Walworth family have achieved is amazing, having raised enough money to enable us to buy over 600 bikes for people in the greatest need of transportation in developing countries around the world.

“Wheels4Life is a non- profit registered charity in the US, but we do give bicycles globally, 6,000 to date.

“We are small but very pure, we know every person that receives a bicycle from us and we follow up with them.

“We do not simply hand out bikes and hope for the best.

“It so important to me that Rory's bikes go to the right people in the best place.

“We are so humbled that his family chose us and trust us.”