Daredevil Neil attempts a new Guinness World Record

Not content with this extraordinary challenge, Neil, who lives in Little Bognor, near Fittleworth, is also attempting to crossing the world’s busiest shipping route, The English Channel, by kayak as part of the challenge.

Neil, who only started learning to ride the bike a year ago, said: “I just thought it would be quite a fun thing to do. I don’t think anybody’s ever done it before, so I knew it would attract some attention to raise much needed funds for the Jigsaw School, an independent day school for children and young people with an autism spectrum disorder.

“The elevated seating position on a penny farthing creates a great element of danger.

“You don’t want to stop too quickly.

“That’s where the expression ‘breakneck speed’ comes from because people on penny farthings would fly over the top, land on their chins and break their necks,” said Neil.

Hoping her husband arrives safely, Neil’s wife Angela said: “He is always up for a challenge having previously competed in an Ironman triathlon and the world’s longest one-day cycling race but he wanted to do something different for this great charity.”

Neil will begin his challenge on Monday, July 18, and hopes to complete it in five days. You can follow his progress on twitter @a2aPennyfarthin and donate on his Just Giving page JustGiving

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