Charity cyclist Matthew Callow will raise a cheer when he completes a London to Paris bike ride on Saturday, July 26.

Because the 38-year-old has had both his hips replaced and took on the 300-mile cycle challenge to raise cash for UK health charity Action Medical Research.

Matthew, who lives in Slip End, has already raised £4,000 in sponsorship for the charity, which in the 1960s helped fund the development of the hip replacement operation.

Throughout his late teens, Matthew constantly felt tired and had a nagging dull ache in his hip.

He put it down to playing different sports but while at university he decided he could no longer blame his symptoms on his lively lifestyle.

And after a series of visits to the doctor, tests revealed that aged 21, the ball of his right hip was so severely worn that it needed replacing.

The first operation took place in 1993 and two years later his left hip was also replaced.

Matthew sets off on the cycle trip on July 23 and is due to arrive in Paris on Saturday, July 26.

Follow Matthew's progress or sponsor him by clicking here.