A NORTH Lancashire dad rode his motorbike from John O'Groats to Land’s End in aid of a charity that helped his sick daughter.

Jose Goncalves, of Warton, near Carnforth, travelled the 874 mile trail in just over 15 hours to raise cash for Dreamflight.

The charity took 11-year-old Ellie, who has a chronic respiratory disease, on the trip of a lifetime to the US.

“It went really well and I was surprised it wasn’t that bad although my bum was a bit painful - but it was well worth it!” said the father-of-four.

“Ellie was very proud of me and the support I got was unbelievable.”

He left the Scottish landmark on July 16 at 5.22am and arrived in Land’s End, Cornwall at 8.45pm.

Mr Goncalves raised about £5,000 for Dream-flight, which takes sick children on holiday at a cost of £3,500 each. The running costs of the charity are £750,000 a year.

He added: “Ellie gets regular lung infections and consequently has regular visits to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.”

“The daily need of strong antibiotics, regular hospitalisations and visits, medical procedures she has to undertake, missing of school and her friends has been hard on her.”

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But last year Ellie went to Florida with national charity Dreamflight which each year takes 192 children to Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Sea World.

Ellie was nominated by staff at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Mr Goncalves continued: “I was very emotional after watching the presentation of the film they made of the 2013 trip.

“I decided that I had to give something back to such a worthy cause.

“The interaction with other children has been of precious value where she has made new friends and built up courage between them to carry on knowing that life has a fun side to be enjoyed.”

The 46-year-old, works as a saturation diving supervisor in the North Sea on a diving support vessel.

“As a parent I felt so grateful, lucky and honoured that Dreamflight and their cause have stepped into our lives that I could not just sit and let this opportunity pass in front of my eyes,” added Mr Goncalves.

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/jose-jorge-goncalves