A PENARTH man is edging closer to finishing a 515km charity bike ride across America this week.

James Rainbird started the epic cycle from Boston to New York on Tuesday, September 9, and is set to cross the finish line on Saturday.

James, the managing director of Pink Pig Loans on Stanwell Road in Penarth, is taking part in the ‘East Coast Bike Challenge’ in aid of Velindre Cancer Centre and has already raised more than £5,000.

Keen cyclist James has already shown his support for those battling cancer after he shaved his head earlier this year so that his neighbour and close friend, teenager Hayley Stroud, didn’t feel nervous about losing her own hair before going through chemotherapy.

“She is a very strong girl and has coped with everything unbelievably well,” he said.

He added that Hayley’s courage would motivate him to complete the challenge.

“It always inspires you and makes you want to do these sort of things,” he said.

“Not everyone wants to cycle from Boston to New York, but to be able to raise money for both children and adults I’m very lucky that I can do that.”

Chaucer Close resident James, speaking before setting off on his mammoth bike ride, said: “It should be a good personal challenge and will hopefully raise a lot of money for a great charity.

“£5,000 was my fundraising target and I’ve already beat that, so I’m hoping to raise ever more now.”

James, who will be taking part in the cycling challenge with the likes of Welsh rugby legends Jonathan Davies MBE, who is President of Velindre Fundraising, is set to cycle for between 40 and 80 miles a day over five days.

Dad-of-two James said that he had been training for the challenge by cycling almost every day around the Vale.

“I also took part in the CARTEN 100, a charity bike ride from Cardiff top Tenby, in 2012 too,” he said.

“I’m hoping this one will be quite similar.”

He added: “I’m excited about it and a little bit nervous. It’s such a big challenge and cycling in a different country you have to get used to different laws, like cycling on the other side of the road, and different weather conditions.”

James can be sponsored at https://www.justgiving.com/james-rainbird