ON your bike was the message from colleagues to retiring cycle shop worker Chris Thompson.

Mr Thompson, who left Bike Sport in Darlington after more than 20 years in the cycle trade, was given a touring bike by colleagues as a retirement present. The 64-year-old plans to use the bike to cycle from Land's End to John O'Groats this summer.

Mr Thompson said he was looking forward to an active retirement and was not daunted by the mammoth cycle trip.

He said: "I've don't want to be one of those people who retires and then spends the next five years sat in front of the TV. I want to stay active and busy.

"I'll be doing this trip with my wife and the beauty of it is that, being retired, we don't have to rush. We can take as long as we need to."

Before working at Bike Sport, Chris ran his own cycle shop in Darlington for 14 years.

He said the love of cycling ran in the family, adding: "Both my parents and my sister were keen cyclists.

"I guess you could say that it's in the blood."