Man's epic cycling marathon from UK to Australia

A man has cycled 20,000km (12,400 miles) from his Kent home to Australia to raise money for the Samaritans.

Sam Murray from Greenhithe said the journey was particularly "poignant" because five years ago, he attempted to take his own life.

Mr Murray said he wanted to help the charity, which offers mental health support, and show others recovery was possible.

The 25-year-old said: "If I had died that day, I wouldn't have been there to care for my mum when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"I discovered a love for living, cycling across the world and experiencing things I never could have imagined."

Mr Murray started his journey in May 2024 and had several unexpected encounters.

In the Alps, he saw a cyclist crash with a motorcyclist and had to contact the air ambulance for assistance.

"As I was the only witness, I had to wait for hours for the police to arrive to interview me," he said.

"I was also out of water and I was saved by another guy from Kent who had pitched a tent up the mountain."

Mr Murray said when he was in India he thought he would be stranded because the hotel he booked did not actually exist.

"I met a man who worked at a Hindu temple and he allowed me to stay the night," he added.

While he was in Nepal, he had another strange encounter.

"I went to a tiger nature reserve and I was riding on the back of a lorry," he said.

"A military vehicle drove up to us and told us to hide as there was a 300kg tiger nearby trying to attack motorcyclists."

Last month, he arrived in Australia and completed his journey in Brisbane.

"It was an incredible experience. It taught me how to handle bad situations better," he said.

Mr Murray has raised £33,000 for the Samaritans so far.

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