A RECORD 1,300 cyclists rode from Blackheath to central London to raise cash for charity Help for Heroes on Sunday (June 2).

The 2013 Hero Ride was led by more than 150 wounded veterans and service personnel from the UK, USA and Canada and is expected to drum up around £1million.

The cyclists finished at Horse Guards Parade with a military celebration in honour of the charity for wounded soldiers – which has been flooded with support after fusilier Lee Rigby was killed while wearing a Help for Heroes t-shirt.

Co-Founder of Help for Heroes Bryn Parry said: "This year’s Hero Ride has seen over one-thousand cyclists finish on the streets of London in the biggest national demonstration of support for our wounded heroes.

"I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone involved with Hero Ride to make this wonderful event take place."

"The people that deserve the most thanks are the cyclists themselves, who have put in their own time to train and fundraise for this event – all in the name of our wounded heroes.

“With the withdrawal from Afghanistan just a year away, it is easy to think the job is over but actually the battle has just begun.

"Challenges such as Hero Ride, and the many more we will have in the future will allow our support to continue, for life.”