A 12-YEAR-OLD boy who is taking on a gruelling challenge to cycle 961 miles in just nine days to raise money for a children's hospice got in some last minute training at the weekend.

Jake McGee could become a record-breaker if he succeeds in cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats. He would be the youngstest person from Teesside ever to complete the route.

Jake, and his dad, John, 39, of Ingleby Barwick, Stockton, are hoping to raise 20,000 for Butterwick Children's Hospice.

The pair will set off from Land's End on Friday and have racked up nearly 3,000 miles in training.

The schoolboy cycles 15 miles before school every Tuesday and Thursday and then bikes 30 to 32 after school both nights. Jake then cycles 35 miles on Friday evenings, 60 to 70 miles on a quick route every Saturday and 60 to 70 miles on a hilly route every Sunday.

He still finds time to mentor other children at All Saints School in Ingleby Barwick and maintain his top grades in maths and science.

After a tough ride through wind and patches of rain yesterday, Jake admitted some days were tough. "I've had to ask my mam for extra cheese on my beans on toast today," he said.

Jake, who lives with his mum Jackie Instone, explained his dad, an MD of electrical company Resilient Power Solutions, was already a corporate sponsor of Butterwick Hospice.

Proud dad John said his wife, Alison, and younger daughter, Melissa, 11, will follow the pair in the family motor home.

Mr McGee said: "We're going to travel at least 93 miles each day and the most well do will be 120. In fact were going to be doing 120 miles on Jake's birthday.

"We'll have two lots of porridge and toast and marmalade every morning, pasta for dinner and on an evening, this is the bit that's exciting us. Were going to go to a country pub every single night and have a massive meal. I'll be having a couple of pints of Guinness as well."

Mr McGee explained that the pair had raised £9,507 at a ball at Rockcliffe Hall and Jake had taken £306 at a sponsored static bike ride at his school.

So far more than £10,000 has been raised and thousands more has been pledged.

The family has been busy buying energy drinks from supermarkets and paralympian wheelchair racer, Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson, of Redcar, is following Jake on twitter.

Log on to justgiving.com/whatjakeandjohndidnext to donate.