A dad is carrying out a charity cycle ride in memory of his baby daughter, who died aged just six months two years ago.

Michael Winter, 29, will be remembering Hope, of Distington, who passed away following a rare heart condition.

He will be cycling with his friends, Daniel Corkhill and Callum McCombe, from the West Cumberland Hospital to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle this Saturday and Sunday.

They are aiming to raise hundreds of pounds for the Sick Children’s Trust and The Children’s Heart Unit Fund.

Michael said: “I have called it ‘a journey of a lifetime’ as Hope’s journey started in the Whitehaven hospital and sadly she lost her life at the Freeman.

“July 31 will mark two years since Hope died, and to keep me busy and raise some more money to help others, we decided on this, which we have talked about doing for a while.”

“I have never cycled this far and, up until three months ago, I hadn’t been on a bike for years. I didn’t even have a bike.

“Daniel has also not been on a bike for years up until three months ago and Callum did the Coast to Coast two years ago, but did it over three days.”

Michael, and Hope’s mum, Lisa Winter, have already raised £7,500 for The Sick Children’s Trust and for The Children’s Heart Unit Fund at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle.

Hope was diagnosed with hypo-plastic left heart syndrome at a 20-week scan. She died following surgery on her heart.

Michael said: “Although Hope has been gone for nearly two years, I miss her so much. Life has never been the same and probably never will be.

“People sometimes tell me how well I’m doing or admire me for what I do, but if I hadn’t been fundraising trying to help others in similar situations I don’t know if I could have coped.”

The friends, who have known each other since primary school, have been sponsored by Handy Concrete Cumbria; Whitehaven Skips and Services and decorator Kevin Thompson.

To donate please go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fundraisingforhope