'I became so emotional, I didn’t know how to react to such generosity'

TEACHING assistant says he can “crack on” with a challenge to cycle the distance between Newcastle and New York City after his stolen bike was replaced.

- DANIEL HALL

Garry Lee, a learning support assistant at Percy Hedley’s Northern Counties school in Jesmond, is aiming to run and cycle 3,330 miles by the end of February as 10 students have been offered the opportunity of a “once in a lifetime” trip to the Big Apple.

Weeks after completing the Great North Run with other Percy Hedley staff members, he started the 172-day challenge which requires him to cycle or run an average of 19.36 miles per day, to finish just before the school trip.

However, his fundraising efforts were thrown into doubt just three weeks in when his bike was stolen from outside Sainsbury's on Etherstone Avenue in Heaton as he went in for Calpol for his son.