A BLACKBURN man is to cycle through the Southeast Asian jungles to help fund research to reduce the number of stillbirths.

Lee Howorth is pedalling from Vietnam’s former capital Ho Chi Minh City to the magnificent remains of the Khmer Empire at Angkor Wat in Cambodia for Sands, the neonatal death charity.

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The 30-year-old former Rawtenstall Grammar School pupil, who lives in the Highercroft area, will bike 550km along the banks of the Mekong River, in memory of his niece Summer Ruby.

Summer was stillborn and the Sands charity offered her parents Alan and Lucy, who are from Blackburn but now live in Shrewsbury, support dealing with the tragedy.

Mr Howorth said: “It was a really devastating time, not just for Summer’s parents, but it hit the whole family really hard.

“Losing a child is the most unbearable thing imaginable and I knew that I had to do something to show I cared, especially as I am not the best with words.

“I think I’ve just got to that stage in my life where I want to accomplish something that matters.

“There’s a lot of deserving charities out there but I feel like this is one that not enough people know about and I want to help change that.

“Sands want to help bring down the UK’s very high stillbirth rate by funding improved healthcare for mothers and their babies as well as offering emotional support to grieving parents.”

Mr Howorth is funding the trip, which takes place in October, himself and every penny he raises will be handed over to Sands.

The conditions besides the rice paddy fields will be hot and humid and Mr Howorth accepts he will be ‘out of his comfort zone’.

He said: “Training-wise I am gradually getting there. I was a bit out of shape at first but I lost a few stone simply by walking to and from work.

“I don’t think anything will ready me for cycling in such heat and humidity though, so I guess that’s just a case of hope for the best! I know I can do it though, I am determined.”

To sponsor Mr Howorth, visit www.justgiving.com/cycleforsummer.