Fibromyalgia Action UK: Shoreham biker rides to extreme points of mainland Britain in four days to raise money for research

A lifelong Shoreham biker who has had to give up riding due to fibromyalgia has seen her husband of 25 years travel solo to the extreme points of mainland Britain in four days to raise money for research into her condition.
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Dave Merritt has always supported his wife Claire Merritt since she first started experiencing the pain of the condition in August 1997, three months after their wedding.

The Park Road couple have travelled thousands of miles together but four years ago, Claire finally had to admit defeat, apart from occasional short pillion rides.

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Claire said: "I have had this condition for almost all of our 25-year marriage. Of all the things fibro has taken from me, career, social life, self-esteem, riding a bike is what I miss the most. Dave has been the most incredible and patient support but now he has to do those bike holidays alone or with friends and I have to watch him go.

Dave Merritt with his bright yellow Triumph Daytona 900Dave Merritt with his bright yellow Triumph Daytona 900
Dave Merritt with his bright yellow Triumph Daytona 900
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"Always looking for a new challenge, he decided to put his wanderlust to good use by riding to the furthest points north, south, east and west in mainland Britain in just four days to raise some money towards research into this dreadful condition."

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Dave covered 2,200 miles on his bright yellow Triumph Daytona 900 and has so far raised £1,315 for Fibromyalgia Action UK.

Claire said: "In 1994, we got together and he bought the bike brand new. After our wedding in May 1997, we rode 5,037 miles around Europe in a month on that bike.

"Three months later, my arms started to hurt and that was the start of our fibromyalgia journey – about five years for the pain to spread throughout my body and three of those to put a name to it.

"Over the years, I've had times when I could ride or go pillion, we even bought a sidecar once (scary!) and I also had my own Triumph converted to a trike. We have owned and built many bikes but the one constant has been the yellow Daytona, which has now done over 150,000 miles."

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Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition causing widespread pain and profound fatigue. Symptoms include unrefreshing sleep, headaches, irritable bowel, cognitive disturbances, clumsiness, dizziness, allergies and sensitivity to environmental changes.