AN Everest climber and mountaineer is raising money for charity by cycling the 100-mile South Downs Way – on a unicycle.

Tom Clowes, aged 48, from Fyning Lane, Rogate, will be joined by three “eccentric” friends, Neil Laughton, a fellow Everest summiteer, David Fox-Pitt and Mark Newman, who will be riding alongside him on Penny Farthings.

Tom, who only took up unicycling six years ago with his children Sebastian and Daisy, is aiming to raise £10,000 for Prostate Cancer UK after his father died from it.

Tom said: “I lost my father to prostate cancer in 2005, and it is still one of the biggest killers of men in this country, but my father might have still been alive today if they had caught it in time.

“He was a marathon runner and he always wanted to run along the length of the South Downs Way, so by doing this on one wheel will make him look down on us and smile.

“I can see the South Downs from our cottage and on June 21 I shall be attempting to get from Eastbourne to Winchester on my beautiful, blue 29-inch unicycle wheel.”

The mountaineer describes himself as an adventurer, and as well as climbing, among others, Everest and Kilimanjaro, he has cycled and flown his paraglider all over the world.

He has also unicycled down Mount Snowdon in North Wales with his son, and can often be seen riding in the woods around Rogate with the family dog Milou running along behind.

But he says his three-day challenge to ride the length of the downs will be tough, and isn’t to be underestimated.

Tom, who took five years to master his unicycle, said: “Unicycling is good for the core, and good for the soul, and it never fails to make passers by smile or laugh.

“But a unicycle can’t free wheel, so my legs will be constantly moving in the attempt to conquer the South Downs.

“Fortunately, it has a hydraulic brake for those steep descents.

“But this will be a huge challenge for me, so I am giving myself three or possibly four days to do it and will be joined by three eccentric friends on their Penny Farthings!

“Come and cheer us on and you will be guaranteed a smile.”

Supporters of Tom’s effort to raise money for Prostate Cancer can donate on his JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thom as-clowes2