A SELF-EMPLOYED mechanic is to ride almost 2,000 miles to raise funds for a special baby care unit.

Steve Race sets off on Sunday, heading for Land's End and John O'Groats on a 1958 Royal Enfield 700cc motorcycle he has rebuilt.

Eight years ago, Steve and his wife Anne's baby died in Bishop Auckland General Hospital after suffering from a birth defect. Now he has decided to "give something back".

"I'm about as prepared as I can be," said Steve, who received help building the bike from his teenage son Michael.

"The bike has been finished now for several weeks and we've been getting out and about and making sure it's running okay.

"I was brought up with things mechanical so putting it together was like second nature to me. It was just about finding certain bits and pieces for it."

The 1,873-mile trek will go from his home in Westgate, Weardale, to John O'Groats, then Land's End, before heading home. Steve's accommodation will be a mixture of staying with friends and camping.

The money he raises will be split between the special baby care unit and the intensive care unit, after the sudden death of a friend last year.

Anyone wanting to sponsor Steve can contact him on (01388) 517353