A TEAM of cyclists are set to embark on a mission to the French Alps on Saturday to remember a stuntman known for impersonating James Bond during the London 2012 opening ceremony.

Mark Sutton thrilled the crowds by parachuting out of a helicopter with a stuntman pretending to be the Queen during one of the highlights of the Danny Boyle extravaganza.

But just a little over a year later he died jumping out of a helicopter near Chamonix.

Now his brother Steve Sutton, who lives in Downton, is attempting alongside a team of family and friends to raise more than £20,000 for Salisbury-based charity The Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT) by cycling to the place where he died.

Mark served with the Gurkhas so the family had the chance to see the work of the regiment first hand.

Steve said they planned from the outset to try and hit the £20,000 target which would be enough money to construct a Nepalese school outbuilding.

The GWT is still fundraising for a rebuilding campaign in Nepal following the deadly earthquakes which struck the country in April last year.

“Mark had a huge affection for his Gurkha comrades and their homeland, Nepal,” Steve said.

“He was a great supporter of the trust and we’d like to continue that legacy.

“The terrible earthquakes last year claimed thousands of lives.

That’s thousands of others who lost their own brothers and loved ones, while the damage to homes and infrastructure was devastating.

We hope, in some small way, to help Nepal recover from that overwhelming loss.”

Celebrity patron Joanna Lumley and film director Danny Boyle have both backed the challenge which will see the team bike 100 miles a day.

It is still possible to donate to the team, visit justgiving.com/voltrek1000