Boy, 7, raises £35,000 for charity that helped him when his dad was killed

Jane Hesketh reports.

A seven-year-old boy from Leicestershire has smashed his fundraising target on a record breaking cycle ride from London to Paris.

Rupert Brooke from Eaton has raised over £35,000 for the Children's Bereavement Centre in Newark.

They supported him and his mum, Jess, after his dad, Tom, was killed in an accident at work three years ago.

Team Rupert headed off from the London Eye and cycled all the way to Paris.

He was given an escort by the Metropolitan Police part of the way and soon he and his mum Jess were winding their way through the countryside towards the coast.

The first leg of the journey this side of the channel was mostly plain sailing.

His mum, Jess, said: "You couldn't of asked for it to go any better, he was amazing, it was just like going for a bike ride with him.

"There was a moment where I thought 'is this too much?', but he very quickly recovered at the top and the rest was a breeze."

Soon they were winding their way through the french countryside. But for young Rupert, it took a bit of getting used to.

He said: "It was hot and it was very weird cycling on the other side of the road."

He was raising money for the Children's Bereavement centre in Newark in Nottinghamshire, which helped him when his died dad due to an accident at work. 

The group say they've been blown away by Rupert.

Jess Wilson, the fundraising and marketing manager at the centre, said: "Once you've met Rupert, you'll never forget him, he's a real inspiration, he's a bundle of energy.

"I've met him a few times now, and it's been a real privilege to get to know him and his mum throughout this journey. There was never a doubt in my mind that he would achieve this challenge and get to Paris on time and enjoy the ride as he went along."

Rupert and Jess made it to Paris within their four-day deadline.

Jess said: "Amazingly proud, I did shed a tear when we got into the outskirts of Paris.

"So proud of him and he just takes it all like it's another day, quite incredible really."

Rupert himself was bursting with pride: "Amazed by myself, I thought to myself, 'how did you do that?'."

He could very well be the youngest person ever to make this trip and he raised more than £35,000 to help other children who have lost someone close to them.