It is a poignant charity challenge that is being organised "in memory of everyone touched by cancer."

Next week Ted Potter, 69, and his wife Amanda will cycle to 100 churches in 100 hours - as they aim to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.

The intrepid couple of Willingham St Mary, near Beccles will start their five-day challenge on Monday, May 24 and they will be joined by their mascot ‘Jacky’ who will be photographed at every church.

Lowestoft Journal: Mr Potter and his wife Amanda will cycle to 100 churches in 100 hours next week their mascot ‘Jacky’. Picture: Cancer Research UKMr Potter and his wife Amanda will cycle to 100 churches in 100 hours next week their mascot ‘Jacky’. Picture: Cancer Research UK (Image: Cancer Research UK)

Camping along the way, they aim is to finish the challenge at Sotterley Chapel - church 100 - on Friday, May 28.

They decided to take on a fundraising challenge after seeing the huge impact Covid-19 had on Cancer Research UK’s funding.

Mr Potter was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015 and is currently on a Cancer Research UK funded trial at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

During lockdown, Mr and Mrs Potter were searching for some remote places to visit, while adhering to the government guidelines, as he was shielding and classified as clinically vulnerable during the pandemic.

After discovering that there are 100 churches within 10 miles of their home, they decided that visiting all 100 churches in 100 hours would be a great fundraising challenge.

Hailed as "a wonderful chap and a true inspiration", Debbie Adams, Cancer Research UK’s relationship manager for Norfolk and Suffolk, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Ted, Amanda and Jacky have decided to attempt such a great challenge to raise vital funds for Cancer Research UK.

"Who knew there were so many churches in the Beccles area and what a wonderful way to raise much needed funds.”

Mr Potter said: "At the end of 2015 I learned that I had metastatic prostate cancer, and since then I’ve been on a series of treatments which have all been the result of research trials conducted in recent years.

"Without these trials, they would not have been available to me.

"In the past 18 months I’ve been able to volunteer to assist in two such trials myself, and the current one is receiving funding from Cancer Research UK”.

He added: “In 2020 Cancer Research UK, announced that because of COVID-19 and the devastating impact it’s had on their income.

"They therefore desperately need our support."

Visit Cancer Research UK's website to support Ted's 100 churches challenge.