When council worker Russell Fairman reached his 40th birthday, it was a case of hitting the big four “ohhhh”.

Most people celebrate the middle-age milestone by throwing a party or jetting off to somewhere exotic.

But Russell, Swale’s community officer for sport, decided to take on perhaps the most gruelling road challenge on offer in the UK – the 874-mile John O’Groats to Land’s End cycle ride.

So instead of knocking back the pints on his big day, he was working up a fair-old sweat – but none of this was his idea.

“A friend rode from John O’Groats to Land’s End for his birthday two years ago, and challenged me to do it when I reached mine,” he said.

“I would’ve said he was a good friend, but he’s not so much now!”

Russell, who’s based at the council’s offices in East Street, Sittingbourne, made the two-wheeled trip between the most northerly and southerly points of mainland UK with 13 other cyclists.

It was on behalf of Wooden Spoon, the charity of British and Irish Rugby which supports mentally and physically disadvantaged children.

Russell said he was “well prepared” for the seven-day journey – until Mother Nature intervened.

“On our first day leaving John O’Groats we hit 50mph winds, which made it hard work and very slow going uphill and downhill.

“However much training you do, it doesn’t prepare you for the weather. I thought, ‘welcome to Scotland’.”

Travelling 120 miles a day was “physically and mentally challenging” according to Russell, and by day three his knee had to be strapped up.

He wasn’t the only one smarting, however, and the standby physio was “well worked” by the riders throughout the journey.

Russell said the cyclists crossed the finish line in Land’s End together, with traffic being brought to a stop as the weary riders were met by a cacophony of cowbells being rung by cheering friends and family.

Between them, the 14 entrants raised £50,000 for charity.

Russell, a self-confessed non-cyclist before the trip, said he’s looking to take on more riding “challenges” and recommended other pedal-phobes try it, too.

He said: “It’s an amazing achievement. Fourteen riders were strangers at the start, but close friends by the end.”