�1m raised for injured military

Some 300 cyclists have completed a 350-mile fundraising ride from the battlefields of northern France to the Cenotaph in central London.

They raised over �1m for Headley Court, the armed forces rehabilitation centre.

Among those taking part were servicemen who have lost limbs and suffered brain injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan.

One participant in the five-day tour, Capt Martin Hewitt of the Parachute Regiment, said: "The muscles are sore, but that's what it's all about."

Improve facilities

At the Cenotaph, the veterans laid wreaths for their fallen comrades and stood to attention for the last post.

All funds raised from the trip will go to Headley Court in Surrey, which cares for those injured in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The centre, near Leatherhead in Surrey, has 66 "complex trauma" beds and looks after 180 patients.

According the Ministry of Defence, 667 service personnel were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan during the previous two years.

The MoD says that in May 2008 it pledged an extra �24m to improve facilities over the next four years.

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