A CYCLIST who has eaten tarantulas, ridden through a banana plantation and gone head-to-head with a large tortoise is now planning his latest venture.

Kevin Crowley from Fair Oak is preparing to cycle 500 miles across North Vietnam in six days to raise money for the Macmillan cancer charity.

Kevin, 49, who runs two day-care nurseries with his wife, has raised £30,000 for the charity since 2002 in the annual endurance event.

He will start his cycling challenge on November 6 and will be riding each day from 7.30am until 5pm.

For the full story and to find out how to sponsor him, see today's Southern Daily Echo