Fire station banter has left a Huddersfield man with an epic challenge on his hands.

Last year Gareth Lockwood, 34, asked his fellow firefighters if they thought he could cycle to the Great North Run in Newcastle, do the half-marathon, and then cycle back – all in 24 hours.

When they all scoffed at his suggestion, Gareth said he thought it was possible.

With his pride at stake, the married dad laid his reputation on the line and said he would take on the gruelling challenge.

Now, after many months of hard training, he has just 100 days to go until what could be 24 hours from hell.

Gareth will leave his Birdsedge home at midnight on September 15 and cycle 120 miles to the start line of the Great North Run.

He needs to be there by 10am to start the race.

He will then join the tens of thousands of fun-runners doing the 13-mile route to South Shields.

But unlike the other exhausted participants, there will be no relief at the finish line as he will be jumping back on his bike for another 120 mile slog to get back to his wife and child.

Gareth said: “I’ve done the Great North Run before and I wondered if it was possible to ride up to it and back.

“I got the calculator out and worked it all out and I thought it might be.

“I said to the guys at work, ‘Do you think it’s possible?’, and they said no.

“So I said, right, I will show you, and it’s kind of snowballed from there.”

Gareth will be taking on the tough challenge in aid of three charities – Kirkwood Hospice in Dalton , the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice in Brackenhall and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

He already has a number of sponsors for his shirt and is hoping to raise thousands.

Gareth said he was reasonably confident he would complete the feat.

He added: “I’ve had a year of training, all through this winter I’ve been going out on my bike, all to prove them wrong.”

To donate or follow Gareth, search for ‘Ride Run Ride’ on Just Giving, Facebook or Twitter.

Huddersfield University student James Linsley is taking on the challenge of a lifetime to cycle from London to Paris this summer to raise money for deaf-blind children and adults.

The 19-year-old, who is studying podiatry, was inspired to take on the gruelling 300-mile challenge to raise money for Sense, after volunteering for the deaf-blind charity last year.

He said: “I volunteered on a Sense holiday in Skegness in 2012, which gave deaf-blind teenagers the chance to get away from it all, try new experiences and have lots of fun.

“I saw first-hand the extent to which families appreciate the services provided by the charity, so I wanted raise some money to help deaf-blind people enjoy some of the things that most of us take for granted.

“This is definitely the longest bike ride I’ve ever taken and I’m looking forward to it – especially the thrill of crossing the finish line after four long days of cycling!

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and while it will be a real challenge, it’s great to know that I have the full support of my family and friends.

“I’ve received many donations from them all and my dad is helping me with the training, as he is a keen cyclist himself.”

To sponsor James Linsley, see the web page www.justgiving.com/James-Linsley