HE battled everything southern England's inconsistent weather could chuck at him and still managed to scoop a new sporting record.

Mike Cotty, pictured, has beaten the record for the South Downs Way cycling marathon, completing the gruelling 212-mile course in just over 22 hours.

The 27-year-old from Rownhams knocked more than 30 minutes off the existing record time, despite attempting his feat in all conditions, from lightning to driving rain, dense fog to clear blue skies.

Cycling fanatic Mike set off on the race, from Winchester to Eastbourne and back, on June 14, hoping to beat the 23 hours and one minute record set by Ian Butler of Kent last September.

Mike, who is studying media at the University of Southampton, said: "Although the conditions weren't perfect, it could have been a lot worse.

"I was really lucky to be just on the edge of a storm that hit Eastbourne late that night any quicker and I really would have been hammered on."

He said the toughest part of the trip, which also saw him ascend a total of 22,000ft, was negotiating the Downs on his return cycle during night-time fog when all he could do was try to follow the tyre prints he left on his way there.

Finally though, and just after 1.15pm the day after he set off, Mike arrived back in Winchester, setting an incredible time of 22 hours and 25 minutes and beating the record by 36 minutes.

Mike, whose achievement will feature in a forthcoming issue of cycling magazine What Mountain Bike, added: "It was an incredible day out there so much emotion, so many stories, but I really can't take all the credit.

"It was a team effort and I'd like to thank my support crew, Exposure Lighting, and my mum for keeping me on track and fuelled up."