Staff from Swindon’s Jury’s Inn undertook a day of physical feats to help keep the Wiltshire Air Ambulance airborne.

The eight-strong team cycled 90 miles – with most of the staff completing the challenge in stages, but the hotel’s general manager John Markham, 34, demonstrated his leadership by completing the full distance himself.

John said: “It was fun actually, the first 35 miles was good, but once we got to Devizes it was hill after hill. I’m not a cyclist either, the last time I cycled was for this event last year – but this time we did twice the distance!”

The route took the team from Swindon to Wroughton, via Marlborough, Amesbury and Devizes, with a target of raising £1,500.

Asked what motivated the choice of charity, which staff will do a number of fundraisers for over the next year, he said: “We looked at what was in Wiltshire, and obviously it is a big charity, but the cost of supporting what they do is quite high.

“They do just under one thousand calls a year. If someone has an accident from horse riding, or a car accident then can get out to it. Wiltshire Air Ambulance have been really good, it’s great to work with them for the rest of the year – we’re doing events in the autumn, Christmas and spring.”

From Wroughton, the group walked back to the hotel, joined by representatives of the air ambulance.

“We are super-grateful to them for choosing to raise money for Wiltshire Air Ambulance, said Valerie Whistler, the Wiltshire Air Ambulance partnerships co-ordinator.

"I did the last section today, just the walk, and brought Wilber, the air ambulance mascot, along with me,” she said.