A fundraiser who took on the challenge of cycling the entire coastline of mainland Great Britain (a total of 7,000 km) to raise funds for the RNLI charity, calling at every lifeboat station along the way, including Tenby, has completed his journey.

Twenty-three-year-old Harry Lidgley visited 168 lifeboat stations after setting off on May 1 from RNLI HQ in Poole.

Along the way he stopped for a photo with Tenby’s RNLI Coxswain Phil John.

Harry was part of the Exe Endurow team which rowed around the British coast in 2020.

Recognising the reassuring presence of the lifeboats and the support given to the crew last year by the RNLI, he hoped to raise £5,000 for RNLI funds, with his target to get round to all the stations in 42 days!

However, both targets - the time and fundraising were both comfortably beaten, with Harry finishing after 34 days (averaging 120 miles per day), and already raising over £6,000 for the cause.

He spent the winter as a Deliveroo cyclist training for this epic ride, with the 7,000 km ride equivalent to cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats five times, and climbing over seven times the height of Everest.

“The expedition has been a great success!” said Harry.

“I got everything out of the challenge that I had been hoping to - immense satisfaction at completing my circumnavigation, the chance to cycle through some spectacular regions around our coastline, and the opportunity to meet many RNLI crew members.

“Everyone I met was really enthusiastic about my challenge, which was always a great morale boost.

“Of course, at times, it wasn’t all plain sailing - I had a mix of just about every type of weather condition, enduring hail showers and cold nights in the South West, a few washout rainy days in Wales (predictably!), some very tough headwinds in Scotland, and scorching heat back on the English south coast as I neared the finish.

“On days like these I just had to grit my teeth and do the best I could – but these are the really valuable days that build your capacity to endure and your mental resilience, all good training for future events!” he added.

You can still support Harry’s fundraising efforts by visiting: www.justgiving/fundraising/gblifeboatcycle