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Officer geared up to raise hundreds for Crimestoppers

A PC has geared up to raise over £300 for independent charity Crimestoppers by cycling over 300 miles, from London to Paris.

Matt Cann, a Hemel Hempstead Neighbourhood Officer, began his challenge on Wednesday June 23 from Black Heath in London and finished it on Saturday June 26.

Matt, aged 31, said: "I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Getting to Paris in particular was brilliant - partly because I was still alive and also because I was one of the first to get there.

"The best bit of the trip was the quality of the French roads and that the French will nearly always overtake on the other side of the road."

He added: "I am really pleased to have raised this money for Crimestoppers and also raised their profile at the same time. Their work is vital for those who want to do something about crime without fear of reprisals and they help the police solve many crimes."

Matt cycled with 30 others through event management company Across the Divide. They then returned via Eurostar. His itinerary was as follows:

Day 1 - London to Calais. Matt and another participant took eight hours to complete this section after getting lost.

Day 2 - Calais to Arras. This was the hardest day, with the steepest hills and 35°C, with no shade. Matt got really dehydrated, despite drinking four litres of water.

Day 3 - Arras to Compeigne. There were 78 miles to cycle through the Somme, where the cyclists stopped and paid their respects at the graves of the soldiers from the First World War who lost their lives there.

Day 4 - Beauvais to Paris. It was a fast morning, with 16 miles of cycling through Paris. It was not a very safe place to cycle in, with motorists and pedestrians meaning Matt had to have his wits about him. The finish point was the Eiffel Tower.

Matt, who lives in Hemel Hempstead, added: "The toughest bit for me was being dehydrated and then feeling rubbish on day three.

"But it was well worth it overall and I would do another tour again, although perhaps a different route."

There is still time to sponsor Matt at http://www.justgiving.com/matthew-cann

He has also set up a Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matt-Cann-rides-from-London-to-Paris-for-Crimestoppers/369852196924?v=wall

Brenda Griffiths, who represents Hertfordshire Police Authority on the county Crimestoppers board, said: "We are deeply grateful to Matt for his tremendous effort on our behalf.

"Crimestoppers is a charity and as such fund-raising is always a challenge for us to keep such important work going. "Many thanks to Matt - this is a fantastic achievement. If anyone else would like to support Crimestoppers, we would love to hear from them."

Crimestoppers Trust is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England No. 5382856. Registered Charity No. 1108687 (England) and SC037960 (Scotland). Registered Office: Apollo House, 66A London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5BE