'Blind Dave' saddles up for Western Front Way ride

'Blind Dave' Heeley has had two replacement knee operations since his last cycling challenge

A blind charity fundraiser has announced plans for his next adventure - a 1,000km (620-mile) cycle ride that follows a route enshrined in European war history.

Dave Heeley, known as "Blind Dave", is putting together a team of cyclists to join him in September as he tackles the Western Front Way.

The route follows the length of the First World War trench lines, from the French/Swiss border to the Belgian coast.

The cyclists will finish the ride with a 50km (31-mile) cycle to Dunkirk, where commemorations take place this summer to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

The route of the Western Front Way

Mr Heeley fundraises for The Albion Foundation, which is the charitable arm of his beloved West Bromwich Albion FC for which he has raised more than £3m.

He hopes that this year's challenge will net another £80,000 for an organisation that helps young people, many of whom have a disability, to engage with sport.

"I believe it's going to be a very emotional journey," said the 66-year-old from West Bromwich.

"We're going to be seeing many, many memorials through British cemeteries, French, Canadian, American, German, all sorts of memorials that remind us of the First World War.

"I'm a great believer that the men and women who fought and sadly paid the ultimate penalty and lost their lives need to be remembered."

The charity ride from Colditz in Germany back to West Bromwich was originally postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic

The cyclists completed their ride from Colditz at The Hawthorns stadium in West Bromwich

The latest challenge follows a ride from Germany's Colditz Castle to West Bromwich and walking the length of Hadrian's Wall, fitting in two knee replacements during the period.

Mr Heeley admitted his fundraising and ongoing fitness work was "like a drug".

"The kids of today with their disability, regardless of whatever the disability is, they need help now to put them on the road to understanding that there is some form of normality," he said.

"So if I can help, promote, inspire and create the awareness and help bring in the funding then we're helping somebody somewhere, aren't we?

"I want to stay fit and I want to help them as long as I can, so the more I do, the more I want to do."