A slightly saddle-sore David Lench, managing director of estate agents Ward & Partners, is safely back in his office this week after successfully completing a gruelling 1,000-mile charity bike ride from Lands End to John O’Groats.

The aim of the exercise was to raise much-needed funds for Action Medical Research, the charity which funds research into children’s diseases and disabilities, and for CHYPS, which provides hospice-at-home support for chronically ill children across north and west Kent. And with money still coming in, David is close to raising a grand total of £75,000.

His partner for the epic ride was a friend, Kevin Hafner, while the all-important support vehicle was driven by David’s wife Vivien. Their route took them across the Severn Bridge into the Welsh border country and then up through Lancashire, skirting the Lake District before crossing into Scotland.

Over the past few years, David – who by his own admission had never been particularly sporty - has successfully tackled an impressive list of fund-raising challenges, but this latest escapade was by a considerable margin the most demanding. “It involved cycling an average of approximately 70 miles a day for the best part of two weeks, with just two rest days,” he says. “But the biggest test of all was the climbs – often 5-6,000 feet in a day, and on one occasion well over 7,000 feet!”

Aside from the hills, what were the worst moments? “Well,” says David, “Day 7 was the day we covered 68 miles and climbed no less than 7,200 feet. That was really tough. Then, to cap it all, we arrived at our B&B for the night to discover that Fulham had suffered their 5th defeat in 6 games!” So, what’s next for Ward & Partners’ intrepid MD? “A very long rest indeed – then we’ll see!” he says.

Meanwhile, it’s still not too late to make a donation, which can be done online at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/LenchLEJOG