A MAN who cycled across Zimbabwe dressed as a clown described the troubled African nation as having “turned a corner”.

Father-of-three Richard Pant- lin, who lives in Hurst Street, East Oxford, spent two weeks cycling the 373 miles from Bulawayo to the capital, Harare, complete with red nose, juggling balls and oversized boots.

He had two aims — to raise up to £12,000 for charity and to hand over a postcard to Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe, which he had bought on his one and only previous visit to the country 22 years before, as a reminder of happier times.

Speaking from Harare on Sunday, Mr Pantlin said: “My overall impression is that the country has turned a corner and it needs to be supported in moving forward.

“The main thing I want people to take from it is actually it is fine and safe for a white, English person to come and visit here and the people are very welcoming.

“Yes, they have been through a difficult time, but they are pulling through and need to be supported.”

He attempted to deliver the postcard to Mr Mugabe both at his private and official residences in Harare, but was turned away.

Eventually, on Saturday, he successfully delivered the postcard and accompanying letter to Mugabe’s office in the Munhumatapa Building.

Mr Pantlin was not allowed to meet the man himself, but said: “The president’s receptionist was a little surprised an English individual would be delivering a large envelope with letter and gift in person, but took my details and guaranteed it would come to His Excellency’s attention.”

In his letter to Mugabe he said: “There is unanimity that the last decade has been difficult and that last year, in particular, saw widespread suffering, hardship and premature deaths.

“People have pulled through with an incredible resilience based on resourcefulness and an enduring hope in a change for the better. Encouragingly, that hope is finally being justified.”

Mr Pantlin is raising money for the Health Education and Learning Programme for an orphanage in the country.

He is due to fly out of Zimbabwe today and will return to the UK on Friday.

He is planning to write a booklet about his experiences, called Even Crocodiles Grow Tired — stories from the Mugabe period of Zimbabwe.