Injured airman completes challenge
AN airman who lost part of his arm in a rocket attack has returned home after a 380-mile cycle ride across France to raise money for injured servicemen.
Senior Aircraftman Jon Butterworth, pictured, who lost part of his left arm in an attack at Basra Airfield in Iraq last year, took part in the Big Battlefield Bike Ride, going from Caen in France to the Cenotaph in London.
The week-long trip, which started on May 26, was organised for Help for Heroes charity. The route traced some of the region's most significant World War One and World War Two battle sites, including the Normandy landing beaches and Thiepval on the Somme.
SAC Butterworth, 22, who arrived back on Sunday, said: "It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. One of the hardest parts of the trip was visiting the Somme memorial for soldiers who were never found, it was quite depressing thinking about it."
Keen sportsman SAC Butterworth is now looking ahead to fresh challenges and says he hopes to stay working for RAF Cottesmore.
He raised more than 6,000 with the bike ride and is welcoming additional sponsorship. Go to www.justgiving.com/jonallanbutterworth1
SAC Stuart Milton, of 504 Squadron at RAF Cottesmore, also completed the sponsored bike ride. SAC Milton, 41, of Langham served in Southern Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007. He undertook the challenge in memory of two friends from 504 Squadron who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, SAC Chris Dunsmore and SAC Gary Thompson.
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Weather for Stamford
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
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