A CUMBRIA cyclist's week-long crossing of 43 UK counties has been confirmed as a new Guinness World Record.

In June 2023, Scott Mitchell, 46, from Endmoor, set off on an eight-day challenge to go through every county in England to share awareness of muscle-wasting conditions.

While he didn’t quite make it to all 48, Scott did visit 43 counties and, almost a year after completing the challenge, it was confirmed that he holds the Guinness World Record title for the most UK counties visited by bicycle in one week.

Scott takes inspiration from his son Alex, 23, who lives with Becker muscular dystrophy, and his Cycle the Nation charity challenge raised £7,276 for Muscular Dystrophy UK.

The challenge started in Cornwall and ended in Newcastle and involved cycling around 1,100 miles.

Explaining his motivation for the challenge, Scott said: “I’m doing this for my son Alex. He has lived with Becker muscular dystrophy since he was 14 and I hope that my fundraising will help Muscular Dystrophy UK to fund more research into the condition and that one day there will be a cure.”

Scott has been fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy UK since his son’s diagnosis nine years ago, taking part in everything from the London Marathon to a Quadrathlon, as well as various cycling challenges.

“More than anything, I need the world to see what I’m doing, why I’m doing it, and to spread the word,” said Scott.

Scott said he wanted to raise awareness about the nonexistence of a cure for Becker muscular dystrophy.

"For Alex, the basics are hard: getting out of bed, getting from room to room; but it affects him mentally as well as physically. The progression of his condition is becoming increasingly obvious and impacts every aspect of his life, which is heartbreaking to watch as a parent."

Scott explained getting the world record title was 'amazing' but it was 'just the start' as he plans to complete a bigger challenge in 2025.

Susanne Driffield, Regional Development Manager at Muscular Dystrophy UK, said: “I’m thrilled that Scott has got this recognition from Guinness World Records for his challenge. He has raised so much money for us over the years and we really can’t thank him enough.

"But it’s not just about the fundraising, he has also helped to raise awareness of Becker muscular dystrophy by talking about his family’s experiences and documenting his cycling adventures online."