NINE-YEAR-OLD Luke Johnson is all set to cycle 27 miles to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

Luke is a Year Four pupil at St Mary's Primary School, in Chippenham.

His mother Rose said he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, who did the adult cycle ride of more than 50 miles last year.

"He is doing it because it is a good cause and he wants to help. It is quite a long way for a child his age but he will finish it," she said.

The sponsored Wiltshire Heart Cycle is starting and finishing at Lydiard Park, in Swindon, on Sunday and groups of adults and children will be peddling around a circular route.

Luke has been busy collecting sponsor money and has managed to raise more than £100 so far.

"He would like to make more. Any donations would be gratefully received," said Mrs Johnson.

The cycle follows the hugely successful London to Brighton challenge last month, in which more than 27,000cyclists took part.

The British Heart Foundation is the largest independent funder of heart research in the UK.

The organisation is currently funding an £1.6million project, which aims to discover whether hundreds of apparently healthy adults in the UK could be at risk from potentially fatal heart arrhythmias after taking over-the-counter remedies for common complaints, such as hay fever or indigestion.

To sponsor Luke contact his mother on (01249) 657087.