A CHARITY motorcyclist has made the first stop on his epic round-the-world trip – in the North-East.

Bruce Smart, from Aberdeen, in Scotland, is spending the next 12 months on the road travelling through 53 different countries to raise £25,000 for each of his five chosen charities - the Lymphoma Association, The Royal British Legion, The Children’s Trust, Born Free and St Christopher’s Hospice.

After setting off from the Cenotaph in London this morning (Thursday, May 9), the 36-year-old Metropolitan Police officer made his first stop in Darlington to meet one of his sponsors, David Iles.

Mr Iles was diagnosed with Lymphoma five years ago and has since helped raise money for the Lymphoma Association, as well as running a support group for suffers in the North-East.

Before presenting Mr Smart with some Lymphoma Association t-shirts to wear on his trip, Mr Iles said: “The Lymphoma Association is something that is very close to my heart, and seeing Bruce take on something like this for charity is fantastic.

“He is an inspiration to other people; it will be such a huge part of his life. He is obviously a very selfless person.”

The trip, which has been three years in the making, was inspired by Mr Smart’s late mother who died from cancer in July 2008.

“I have always wanted to do a round-the-world trip and one day when I went to visit her in the hospice she said to me: ‘Don’t have any regrets. Promise me you will do that trip you have always spoken about.’ And that was it, I went for it," he said.

His trip is being backed by a number of high-profile sponsors, including Delta Energy – a company owned by Mr Iles’ brother, Robert.

For more information on the trip visit teapotone.com