Iain Sisson marked his 40th birthday in a very different way than normal.

Instead of a day of rest and relaxation, the South Croydon man cycled 270 miles from London to Paris in memory of his friend’s young daughter Iris.

Iain cycled side by side with his friend and Iris’s dad, Adam Proops to raise money for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity which supports families caring for a child with a life threatening or terminal illness.

Together they have raised £7,300 including gift aid for Rainbow Trust.

"We are delighted to have completed this tough challenge and raised so much for Rainbow Trust," Iain said.

"I have heard first-hand from Adam how vital Rainbow Trust was at providing him and his family with practical and emotional support when Iris was so very ill and after she had died.

"I hope the money we have raised together will go some way towards the charity being able to help more families facing incredibly tough times.”

Rainbow Trust is a national charity which offers emotional and practical support for the whole family; from their child’s diagnosis, during treatment and, if needed, through bereavement and beyond. It relies almost entirely on voluntary donations and thanks to its generous supporters helps over 2,000 families in England.

Director of marketing and fundraising at Rainbow Trust Emma Haines said: “It’s really great to see supporters like Adam and Iain take on tremendous challenges like this.

"We want to thank them for their fantastic achievement and all those that donated to Rainbow Trust.

"We have a care team in Surrey which supports local families across the South West and South London so this money will really help these families with a seriously ill child receive the vital support we provide."