Oxford Brookes University's vice-chancellor Prof Graham Upton will set off on a gruelling 951 mile bike ride next month to help raise £100,000 for postgraduate student scholarships.

Prof Upton, who has announced his plans to retire next year, shows he is not ready to slow down just yet as he prepares to cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats with Oxfordshire businessman Stephen Dexter.

The pair have been cycling up to 80 miles a day in preparation for the trip, between Thursday, May 25 and Thursday, June 8.

The sponsorship money raised from the trip will be used to develop a range of new postgraduate scholarships to support students.

Prof Upton said: "I am looking forward enormously to the ride.

"It will be a challenge but we have both been doing lots of training and I feel sure we will get to John O'Groats on schedule.

"Two weeks in the saddle is a long time but is a rare opportunity to see the country and get fit.

"Like some vice-chancellors I spend a lot of my time fundraising.

"Undertaking a sponsored bike ride is not something many might expect a vice-chancellor to do, but I am determined to do all I can to raise money for scholarships that we so dearly need.

"I think that for a lot of people the fact that I am prepared to take on a challenge such as this in order to raise money is something that will encourage them to give."

For further details on the bike ride or to offer sponsorship, log on to the website www.brookes.ac.uk/go/ride.