A HEART patient celebrated his triple bypass by cycling 25 miles along the Ridgeway.

David Case, 54, had his surgery at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital in February, and was later treated for a duodenal ulcer at Swindon's Princess Margaret Hospital.

But in June he not only took part in the Great Ridgeway Bike Ride in aid of the British Heart Foundation, he also raised £873 in sponsorship, which was more than any other competitor.

David, a retail manager with Asda, was joined on the ride by his wife and greatest supporter, Denise, 48.

His fundraising efforts earned him the prize of a Raleigh Mountain bike, supplied by Mitchell Cycles of Shrivenham Road.

David said: "I had suffered a heart condition for a long time. It was just brought on by the stresses and strains of life.

"It's thanks to Denise that I got through it all because she looked after me. I'd done the Ridgeway ride before and I've always enjoyed riding a bike, and after I had this bypass I bought myself another bike.

"It was for gentle exercise, but things just escalated, and now I tend to do probably a hundred miles per week."

He admitted that the 25-mile Ridgeway course was quite tough, but he completed it in around three hours.