Seven-year-old boy to cycle 200 miles from London to Paris in memory of dad

• ITV Central reporter Jane Hesketh, caught up with Rupert Brooke and his mum Jess before their 200-mile charity cycle

A seven-year old boy is cycling 200 miles from London to Paris this week to raise money for charity in memory of his "hero" dad.

Speaking to ITV Central, Rupert Brooke from Long Eaton said will be completing the challenge to raise money for the Children's Bereavement centre in Newark, after the death of his dad Tom Brooke.

Rupert received specialist counselling from the Children's Bereavement Centre when Tom died in 2019 after a sudden workplace accident.

Describing his dad, he said: "He was strong and he was powerful... and he could put me on his shoulders.

He told ITV Central he now wants to support other children like him, explaining "they (the Bereavement Centre) helped me a lot".

His mum, Jess, described her son as "incredible".

"When I look at him, I do really have to pinch myself that he is seven," she said.

"He idolised him and he was his hero. He absolutely adored Tom."

Rupert will set off on the journey from the London eye to the Eiffel Tower on Wednesday 6 July, alongside his mum and some friends and a support crew.

It will take around four days to complete.

Jess added: "In recent years, Rupert has begun cycling more and is a member of the Leicester Forest Cycling club's junior division and cycles competitively on the weekends.

"Rupert's dad taught him to cycle before he was killed three years ago, he used to have a balance bike when he was two and I remember when he was three we sort of went on five-mile roads with him on his balance bike with Tom.

"During the first lockdown when the roads were really quiet I started taking him out on the roads a little bit because it seemed like a sensible, slightly less terrifying time to get out on the road with him, and he took to it like a duck to water."

"The idea of cycling to London was first raised as a fun idea to do with friends, and they had planned to complete the cycle last year but were unable to due to lockdown restrictions.

"Last year France was not open for business so we couldn't go last year which I think was a blessing in disguise as Rupert is a year older and a year stronger, so rather than it being a really long slow trip he is able to do it at the speed that an average adult would be able to.

Rupert has benefited directly from the work of the Bereavement Centre who provided, and still provide, Rupert and other bereaved children and their families with much needed therapy and support in the aftermath of losing a loved one.

Rupert said: "I want to raise money for the Children’s Bereavement Centre so that they can help more people like Mummy and me.

"My ‘Daddy Pig’ was my favourite person in the whole world.  He was the person I went to for everything: he made me laugh, he made me feel safe and he loved me so much. And then he was gone forever.

"My Mummy was looking after me but I could see that she was very sad and not the same anymore. I was terrified that something could happen to her too."

If he succeeds, it's believed Rupert will unofficially be the youngest person to complete the cycle.

The CEO of The Children's Bereavement Centre, Kate Baxter said: "We are absolutely thrilled that Rupert has decided to support the Children's Bereavement Centre by taking on this amazing challenge".

He has already raised more than £24,000 of their £30,000 target.

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