Cyclists create Pudsey image on app for charity

Pudsey's outline stretches from Brent in north-west London to Hackney in the east

A group of cyclists took part in a 70 mile (113 km) ride across London to create an artwork of Children in Need mascot Pudsey on a cycling app, in order to raise funds for the charity.

Fashion designer Nico Georgiou, from Hither Green in south-east London, spent a month planning the complex route before leading the ride through the capital on 1 November.

It took 12 hours and many twists and turns to replicate the famous bear, along with his eye patch, as accurately as possible on the Strava Art app.

“It’s hard riding so slowly but you need to in order to stick to the route,” Mr Georgiou told BBC London.

Nico Georgiou (centre) says "my bike is my pencil"

He added: “We weren’t helped by a few punctures as well as park closures.

“At one point the only way to keep to the line we needed to draw Pudsey was to carry our bikes and walk through a building in Belsize Park.

“When we told the builders who were working there that it was all for Children In Need they very kindly let us through.”

For parts of the route Mr Georgiou was accompanied by about a dozen riders from Rapha Cycling Club and Chain Gang Cyclists, many of them wearing Pudsey ears.

One of the group, Donna McConnell, said: “Pudsey is such a well-loved figure. If you say Pudsey to anyone in the UK they know what he looks like.

"We’re really happy that we could contribute something like this to Children in Need.”

Mr Georgiou took up the pastime of creating artworks on the cycling app during lockdown.

He said: “I needed something for my own mental health and I just take so much joy in creating these routes and seeing them come to life.

"I have good sketching skills but when it comes to Strava my bike is my pencil.”

Previously, he has designed and completed routes featuring an Olympic discus thrower, a cyclist, and a tiger to celebrate Chinese New Year, but Pudsey is his favourite to date.

“It just felt like Pudsey would be such a cute thing to do and to put him on the map like this feels really special,” he added.

The group has already raised more than £1,000 for the charity and has set up a fundraising page to encourage more donations.