A DAVENHAM man whose daughter underwent an operation at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital is raising money for the team who helped her.

Henry Elsby is more than halfway through his 1,000-mile challenge, saddling up and cycling to work each day for the past three weeks.

Henry, 38, has undertaken the 50-mile round trip to Bromborough and back each working day since the Easter Bank Holiday, and is on course to surpass his target – in the hopes of raising thousands of pounds.

After years waiting for a diagnosis, Henry’s six-year-old daughter Edie had duodenal bypass surgery to correct a birth defect 18 months ago, allowing the family to meet other patients in Manchester.

Henry said: “It made me think long and hard about the kids in there, who perhaps wouldn’t have had such a simple procedure.

“I said at the time that I would do something to raise funds for them.

“It was important for us to say thank you in a way. A lot of people do want to fundraise but haven’t maybe got the time, and I am very much in that bracket.

“The fact that I am able to do that as part of my route to work is great, albeit with a few early starts.”

Usually out on the bike by 6am, Henry is set to complete his challenge before the end of May, with the funds raised to be split between RMCH and his company’s chosen charity, Pensby Wood Centre in Birkenhead.

His route takes him to Frodsham and across the marshes, with potholes and bumps abound – a step up from his usual weekend cycles where fitness is the main aim.

He said: “It’s certainly a challenge. I do cycle, but this is the biggest thing I have put myself in for.

The second week was pretty tough. I feel I have got the better of it now, and the main thing is keeping up my stretching.

“It’s a big ask, but it’s one of those things that you have just got to be persistent with it.