A PARTNER of one of Bolton’s most successful dental firms has completed a mammoth 150-mile bike ride in just one day.

Mark Ray, one half of Ravat and Ray Dental Care, is aiming to raise £2,500 for the As-Suffa Insititute’s homeless outreach project.

He tackled the fearsome, hilly route used in the bike section of the Ironman competition on August 4, pedalling 10 miles further than he has attempted before.

So far he has raised about £1,100, and is hoping to generate enough interest to smash his target of £2,500.

Mr Ray, aged 42, took on the challenge alongside friend Andy Wilshaw, aged 49.

He said: “It was obviously a very tough ride but a great experience. In the early afternoon it started to get quite hot, which was really hard.”

He added: “Bolton is very important to us and we were really pleased to support a charity doing such a great job here. They regularly have to dip into their own funds to support the work they do and that struck a chord with us.”

In 2012, Mr Ray, who lives in Lostock, cycled to each of Ravat and Ray’s 10 practices in Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire — a distance of 130 miles — and took on the 140-mile coast-to-coast ride the following year.

The As-Suffa Institute has provided more than 5,000 meals to people in need and is hoping to open a food bank in Bolton.

Every Sunday in Bolton, a team provides meals to people in hostels and on the streets from 7pm to 9pm.

To sponsor Mr Ray, visit the website www.justgiving.com/ Mark-Ray14.