A FORMER Wylam resident tackled a 3,000km cycle ride across the length of New Zealand to raise money for the Breast Cancer Foundation.

Philip Cram, who moved to New Zealand 25 years ago, grew up in Wylam, attending Prudhoe High School and completing an apprenticeship with Thompsons of Prudhoe.

The 49-year-old took on the gruelling Tour Aotearoa, a cycling trip from Cape Reinga, the most north-western tip of New Zealand, to Bluff on the southern coast of the island.

Philip said: “The guy who organised it held one two years previously and I read about it, and being quite a keen mountain biker, I thought that would be really cool.”

Philip signed up for the event around 18 months ago and took part with his friend Rachael Lamb.

The route took them 26 days of cycling between 10 and 12 hours per day, and they arrived at Bluff on March 10.

Philip managed to raise over $7,100 (£3,677) for the Breast Cancer Foundation, a charity he chose after a close friend was affected by the disease.

He added: “I’m very pleased. I set the target at $5,000 (£2,588) and I thought it would be great if we got that, but we’ve beat that by a couple of grand, which is amazing.”