A WITNEY girl has completed an 11-mile charity bike ride to support a school friend who suffers from leukaemia.

Sofia Atkinson, 10, cycled a tour of Witney and neighbouring villages on Saturday to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

She is supporting her friend Zac Durkin, seven, who was diagnosed with leukaemia at five years old and has been fighting the illness for two years.

Sofia and Zac used to be neighbours in Witney, and both attend Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School in Curbridge Road.

Sofia, who hopes to raise £700, also wanted to complete the challenge after her brother’s godmother was diagnosed with cancer.

She said: “I really wanted to help raise money for Zac because I thought I can’t just leave him if he’s got leukaemia.”

Her father David Atkinson said: “Sofia told me she’d really like to do something for Zac and she arranged the event herself completely off her own back.

“She has been absolutely brilliant and so full of enthusiasm, even though it is a long ride for such a young child.

“We were only planning to ride about eight miles, but ended up going nearly 11 which was a fantastic effort.”

Sofia has raised over £600 for Cancer Research UK since deciding to take on the challenge.

Mr Atkinson, a lead technician at Siemens Technology in Eynsham, said: “We’ve had a brilliant response from family and friends. We have 300 employees at work as well so I’ve been asking them for donations.”

Sofia and her dad set off from North Leigh at 10am on Saturday.

They cycled towards Witney and passed by Wood Green School before going round the outskirts of the town and through New Yatt.

Then they passed back through North Leigh on their way to Long Hanborough before heading back into Witney to Sofia’s home in Madley Park. The ride took about two and a half hours to complete.

After watching Sofia complete her cycle, Zac said: “I am very happy for Sofia because she did very well, and I’m glad she managed to raise so much money for the charity.”

Helen Johnstone, press officer for Cancer Research UK (Central South), said: “It’s lovely what Sofia has done for a friend, and for a 10-year-old to cycle eight miles is absolutely fabulous.

“The money goes towards helping the treatment of leukaemia and making kinder treatments for children.”