BUDE’S Leon Jones admits the amount of money he has raised has ‘blown my mind’ after the 18-year-old completed a cycle from John O’Groats to Land’s End on Saturday.

Leon, who studies at Callywith College, undertook the gruelling challenge to raise money for Chae Jenkins, the Cornish All Blacks rugby player who is battling a brain tumour.

Leon who is close friends with Chae’s brother Tage, started the cycle on Bank Holiday Monday, May 31, before arriving in West Cornwall on Saturday afternoon.

He told the Post: “I was very relieved to see the final result and it went to plan. Cycling through Scotland was amazing, the scenery was beautiful. There were a few very long hills, and it was slightly windy, but the weather held up. In the end, it was blazing sunshine for most of the days.

It took five or six days to get out of Scotland and dropping into the Lake District was also incredible.

“Then coming through the cities in the Midlands was difficult to navigate as it was a lot busier than Scotland or the Lake District.

“I arrived in Devon on day nine via the Welsh border. I came through Bristol, down to Taunton, into Okehampton and then into Bude which was quite a special day as I saw Chae’s family.

“Chae’s brother Tage joined me from Bude. We cycled down to Porthcothan which is just the other side of Padstow, and then the final day saw me and Tage cycle with Logan Chatterjea down to Land’s End, all while trying to avoid the G7 traffic.

“We had a very special finish with lots of friends and family going down to support. It was a very overwhelming moment for me to finally finish the challenge on the 13th day, having done 1,024 miles.”

Leon cycled between 100 and 200 miles per week in preparation, and it certainly paid off.

He said: “Some parts were certainly tougher than I had expected. But with the training that I had done beforehand alongside the motivation and determination I had, I could power through and get to the easier points and the finish line for each day.”

So how does he feel now?

“There was a lot of relief going over that finishing line that all the hard work that I had put in beforehand had come to fruition. The finishing line was the final bit for me after the months of planning and organising I had put in,” he said. “I was spurred on by the kind words and messages I’d received throughout the whole journey.

“It’s amazing how doing one thing like this can create a lot of opportunity and help for certain people whether they need it or not. I’ve certainly got the buzz and would consider other challenges of this nature in the future!”

Leon has already smashed his original target, and with five days to go until the fundraiser ends, every penny could help Chae.

Leon said: “We’ve raised £4,775 so far and it ends on Monday (June 21). My original target for Chae was £2,000, so to have doubled it and more, has blown my mind.

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has got behind me and donated to the fundraising page. It’s been a massive help to me and will certainly help Chae and his family!

“I’d also like to thank my parents and my girlfriend for being my support team.”

If anyone would like to donate, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/leonsukcycleforchae