A BOLTON dad who cycles 3,000 miles a year, despite suffering from a stroke and partially losing his sight, is hoping to inspire others to get moving.

Without warning, Peter Ward, 45, suffered a stroke age 42. Unbeknown to him, his sedentary lifestyle ­— no exercise and spending long periods in the car for work ­— had put him at higher risk of ill health.

However, despite feeling at his lowest ebb and thinking that activity wasn’t for ‘people like him’, a glimpse of his son’s mountain bike in the garage gave him the inspiration to go for a bike ride ­— and he hasn’t stopped pedalling since.

After sharing his story on social media, Peter, an engineer from Halliwell, was picked to front his own film by 'That Counts!' ­— a campaign run by the region's health bosses.

Peter, who has seen a marked increase in his confidence, wellbeing, fitness and most importantly, a reduction in his cholesterol since taking up the hobby, said: “I’m so excited to have been picked to be one of the local heroes and hope that my story will encourage other people to get up and get moving. Having a stroke not only knocks your health, it knocks your confidence too.

“I’d see people exercising and think ‘that’s not for me’ as I don’t look like the fit young things you see in adverts.

"That’s what is so great about this campaign ­— they’re focusing on real people’s stories.

"Even if I encourage one person who isn’t feeling up to it to give it a go, I’ve succeeded."

The dad-of-three added: “My top tip for getting more movement into your day is to start small and not to beat yourself up about it. When you’ve got a long-term health condition you’ve got to listen to your body. If it’s not your day today, that’s ok, you can try again tomorrow.

“At first, I didn’t think I’d be able to do it at all. I started out by cycling to the shops, then to the park and then it went on from there. I love cycling, but you don’t have to do that – do whatever suits you, whenever."