Andrew Paddison, from Welshpool, has raised £22,000 after he handcycled all the way from Land’s End to John O’ Groats.

“I never expected to raise this much, it’s astonished me; and it’s still rising,” Andrew said.

In just 13 days, Andrew and his team cycled the length of the UK; from the most southern point of mainland England, Land’s End in Cornwall, to the most northern point of mainland Scotland, in Caithness.

“It was difficult, but I enjoyed the experience from the start to the finish,” he said.

Andrew was born affected by thalidomide, and before he set off on the challenge, he told the County Times that he rejected being called disabled. “If you’re disabled it means that you’re kaput. That you’re not able. But there’s nothing stopping me from doing anything I’m a normal person and I just get on with things,” he said.

Hand-cyclists have taken on the end-to-end challenge before, but most have the full use of their arms and upper body, whereas he does not.

Before ‘Team Paddison’ set off on their journey, Andrew had to make his way to London, where he was interviewed live on Good Morning Britain. It was actually ITV presenter Susanna Reid who found out about Andrew’s fundraiser, and asked for him to appear on the show, and the County Times article was even used as research. At the end of the challenge, Andrew was invited on again; and the two appearances saw donations sky-rocket.

“It was brilliant once I got going, I could concentrate on what I wanted to do: cycle. It was a relief when we knew we were on our way,” Andrew said. “We just took each day as it came, and we were pleased to finish each day,” he added.

He said he had a “tremendous support every day”. He posted daily updates on his Facebook page, and before the team set off in the morning, he would read out what people were saying online. “It gave everyone a bit of a boost,” he said. “Everyone has been really positive.”

The money will go to Macmillan Cancer Support, Prostate Cancer UK and Bloodwise. You can still donate, just click here.