Pair cycle 1,850 miles from Dorset to Ukraine for children

Karol Swiacki said the journey had been a team effort

Two men have cycled from Dorset to Ukraine to raise money for Ukrainian children affected by war.

Karol Swiacki and Laurie Robertson spent 18 days cycling 1,850-miles across Europe, collecting teddy bears from each city they visited.

They raised thousands of pounds to buy sports equipment for schools. The bears will be distributed around the country.

Mr Swiacki said the trip was made possible by the "effort of a lot of people coming together".

He said: "That was a huge challenge but for an amazing cause with a fantastic team behind us and all the sponsors and people who helped us complete it."

The pair, who set off from Bournemouth on 23 April, were joined by two other riders - Cesar Mateus of Renovatio Bikes and Alastair Young, trustee of Ukraine Relief - for part of their journey.

They were raising money for Ukraine Relief, a charity set up by Mr Swiacki.

Accompanied by a support team in a camper van, they travelled via London, Harwich, Amsterdam, Berlin, Poznan and Warsaw.

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