A Suffolk Widlife Trust (SWT) warden is taking part in a 100-mile cycle challenge in aid of an appeal to buy more land for nature near Lowestoft.

Jamie Smith, 22, is currently training for the Tour De Broads - South event in April.

He wants to raise at least £1,000 for SWT's £1 million appeal to buy 384 acres of land near Lowestoft.

It includes Peto's Marsh, adjoining the trust's existing Oulton Marshes, and Share Marsh, adjacent to its Carlton Marshes reserve.

Mr Smith, an assistant warden at Sizewell Belts, said: 'I found a hobby in cycling last year and did a couple of challenges and I thought I would do something this year.

'We have got the Broads appeal at the moment and there is quite a big push for that.

'It is a massively important project that will be brilliant for wildlife.'

SWT has already raised £375,317 of its target and, if successful, the additional land will link up three nature reserves that are home to some of the UK's rarest wildlife, resulting in a huge 1,011-acre swathe of protected Broadland.

The Tour De Broads - South challenge is on April 30 and cyclists can choose to complete a 25, 50, 75 or 100-mile route.

Participants completing the 100-mile challenge will start from Great Yarmouth Sealife Gardens and travel via Martham, Wroxham and Norwich before looping back round via Loddon, Bungay, Beccles and Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth.

Mr Smith, who lives in Stradbroke near Diss, is now in training for the challenge and hopes to raise as much as possible for SWT's appeal.

'I did do something similar last year but I got fat over winter so I have got to burn all of the winter fat off before trying to do it again,' he said. 'Suffolk and Norfolk are known for being quite flat but there will be hills. It should be a really nice ride though.'

To support Mr Smith, visit www.justgiving.com and search for JamieSmithSWT.

Have you got a story? Aare you challenging yourself to raise funds for charity? Email kathryn.bradley@archant.co.uk to let us know.