Suffolk man Mark Beaver completes Portugal’s N2 cycle route in aid of St George’s Church stained glass window in Shimpling near Bury St Edmunds

A 62-year-old Suffolk man has beaten his target and raised £1,000 after cycling one of the longest roads in the world in aid of a church’s stained glass window.

Mark Beaver, of Shimpling, near Bury St Edmunds, cycled for six consecutive days along the length of the N2 route in Portugal, which spans 739km, after starting in the north of the country before travelling to Faro in the south.

Members of St George’s Church in Shimpling are aiming to restore the stained glass window in the east chancel of the building and to repair the surrounding stonework, so Mark, also a member, took it upon himself to help raise funds.

Glass is missing from the stained glass window, exposing the inside of the building to the outside elements and the surrounding plaster is damp and falling from the walls.

After returning from Portugal, Mark has now hit £1,000 on his JustGiving fund-raiser, comfortably beating his target of £700.

Over the past year, St George’s Church has raised more than £50,000 from charity grants, community fundraising events and from individual donations.

To help reach the final target of £54,000, the cycle ride was part of a final push to raise the remaining funds needed for repairs at the church.