Doctor and wife plan to pedal 7,500 miles to help charities A DOCTOR and his wife are taking on a 7,500-mile cycle ride from South Africa – all the way to their home in Hampshire.

Robert and Polly Summerhayes will peddle from Kwazulu Natal near the Mozambique border back to their house in Glazing Lane, Wellow.

The couple will have to contend with extreme temperatures, big game animals and some of the most breathtaking and inhospitable terrain on earth as they bid to raise £25,000 for two charities.

Their journey will take in Victoria Falls, Lake Tanganyika and the mountains of Ethiopia – not to mention mainland Europe.

Equipped with two hi-tech, mountain bikes, food supplies and a laptop, the pair will make their way through Africa, covering 90km a day and camping at night.

40 degrees They hope to complete the ride in a year, including a three-month stop so that Robert can work in a Rwandan hospital. He said: “Some nights it could be close to freezing and during the day it could be more than 40 degrees centigrade.

“There will also be some big game areas and we have been told to bring Mace with us to scare off lions.”

Robert, 28, has been working as a doctor in a hospital in South Africa for two years, while trained scientist Polly, 29, has been working on a community outreach project to help children and Aids orphans.

It is for this charity – called Lulisandla Kumntwana – that the pair hope to fund a vital new 4x4 truck.

They also aim to buy more than a hundred 90 litre drums that can be used to transport water.

Penny said: “It took a while for Robert to come around to the idea of cycling. But it is a real adventure and it will help raise awareness of the charities we are supporting.”

The couple start their epic ride in June. To sponsor them visit longwayhome.travellerspoint.com.