Round-the-world motorcycle racers roar away

The first ever round-the-world motorcycle race has started from London.

Riders taking part in the 25,000-mile event include an eye surgeon, a 65-year-old and a postman.

Covering 20 countries, five deserts and four continents, the 24 competitors will be on the road for 95 days.

The event will raise more than 100,000 for charities including Sight Savers, The Meningitis Fund and for Alzheimer's groups.

But Mr Sanders - who holds the Guinness world record for riding around the globe on a motorcycle (31 days and 20 hours) - and who has bicycled around the world twice, said the competitors would have their minds on the gruelling task of covering up to 1,000 miles a day.

"The riders are going to find it hard. They have had to train a lot over the last 12 months," he said. "They will be riding an average of 400 to 700 miles and up to 18 hours a day. A few of the stages are even longer.

"I know about the emotional situation of leaving your family and children, and of trying to deal with the other riders as well. It's tough. But it's good that, even with all the conflict in the world today, we can still manage to travel across the globe and achieve something like this."

After their send-off, the bikes will be shipped to the United States, where the race will officially begin in three weeks' time.

Eye surgeon Richard Andrews, 37, said he decided to take part when he was on call one day at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne.

"I only bought my first motorcycle five years ago. My mother said she'd rather I was a serial killer than a biker. I was on call one weekend and was reading a motorcycle magazine, which I rarely do, and I saw a small story about this race. I just thought: 'If I don't do this now, I'll never do it."'