WHAT started as a bid to cut down his carbon footprint, has become a 1,000-mile bike ride for world class guitarist Richard Durrant who will cycle between concert venues with his entire stage show, guitar and lights packed into panniers and a bike trailer.

For his career as a professional musician Durrant estimates he travels in excess of 35,000 miles with UK tours, forays into Europe and an annual visit to South America.

He said: “Touring musicians tend to leave a fairly massive carbon footprint – so for me this is payback time. Having been a regular cyclist for years I wanted to see where a tour by bike would take me, both geographically and musically.”

He visits The Chapel at Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley on Wednesday, May 7.