AN EDEN motorcycle enthusiast will go ‘out of his comfort zone’ when he embarks on a 5,500-mile journey to the Sahara Desert.

Paul Holroyd, 47, of Bowderdale, near Ravenstonedale, will set out later this month on an adventurous motorcycle ride through England, France, Spain, and Morocco to raise funds for Curry Aid, a charity set up to help children at an orphanage in Tamil Nadu, India.

Paul will have to dodge the infamous drug cartels of the Rif Mountains and the snowy cond-itions of the Atlas mountains before he spends an Arabian night in the desert.

He told The Westmorland Gaz-ette he had to do something to help the children in India after a visit to the Tamil Nadu orph-anage in 2010.

“It is only when you get there and see it first hand that it gets under your skin,” said Paul.

“I think of those kids every day of my life. They are just children, and when you see them huddled together on the floor, you can’t help but get emotional as the reality hits.”

The charity was set up by Jessie Oddy, from Appleby, and Paul has previously completed a Land’s End to John O’Groats ride to raise £3,000 for the charity.

“When I came back I just had to do something to help,” he said.

“To rent the building for the orphanage doesn’t cost a fort-une and £5,000 a year goes towards the shelter, nourish-ment, and basic education, for the children there.”

Paul previously toured Europe on his bike, and last year travelled to Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland, to meet his family for a holiday, but he has never ridden in Africa before.

“I want to raise as much as possible,” he said.

“The ride should take about three weeks there and back, but it is certainly going to be an adventure. I am aiming to ride to the last settlement before the heartland of the desert, camp overnight, and then head to Marrakech to take in some of the Moroccan culture.”

If you would like to sponsor Paul, contact him on 07711 882112 or email edenconserve@aol.com