'Theft' of saint's bones inspires 300-mile ride

A mayor is expecting "a bit of chafing" as he cycles from St Neots in Cambridgeshire to St Neot in Cornwall for charity, while going in some way to help repair an ancient rift.

Richard Slade is undertaking the roughly 300-mile (480km) journey over the bank holiday weekend.

He said the two namesakes had a long history, as the legend goes that Cambridgeshire residents travelled to Cornwall 1,000 years ago and stole the bones of a saint - Saint Neot - causing a "fractious divide".

The ride is one of several fundraising efforts the St Neots mayor is making in the hope of raising £10,000 for local theatre groups in the town, which he said needed support.

He is setting off on his carbon fibre bicycle on Saturday and hopes to reach Cornwall on Monday.

Mr Slade admitted the task "does seem a bit crazy" but said "mayors like to raise money for charity".

However, he said people needed a reason to donate - and the two parishes had been connected for 1,000 years, "so, to do this journey seemed logical".

"The history goes that there was a monk called Saint Neot who lived in the 9th Century, and when he died his bones were interred in the parish in St Neot, which is where it got its name," Mr Slade explained.

"About 100 years later, some residents from Eynesbury [part of modern-day St Neots] in Cambridgeshire decided it would be a great idea to go down there and steal the bones.

"I mean, this is a rumour - I'm not sure how accurate this is - I mean, it's a thousand years ago... but they brought the bones back to St Neots in Cambridgeshire.

"Traditionally that would happen because as it's a relic, you're bringing a saint's bones, and that would be a massive tourist attraction.

"So that's why this town is called St Neots - it was renamed, but there's still that rivalry that goes between the two and I'm hoping to patch some of that up," he said.

"The story stuck, so there's been this sort of fractious divide ever since between the two places."

Mr Slade said he was looking forward to some beautiful countryside and a tailwind on his journey, "so it should feel nice and easy".

His first proper stop along the route is planned at 130 miles (210km), when he reaches Melksham in Wiltshire.

On Sunday he will travel another 93 miles (150km) stopping in Exeter in Devon. Then on the Monday, there is the final 60-mile (96km) ride to St Neot.

Although Cambridgeshire is known for being largely flat, Mr Slade said he had found a few hills and had been going up and down them a lot as part of the training.

"I feel ready - I feel like I'm fit and able."

He said while the bicycle's saddle "might resemble a razor blade", he had padded shorts.

"But there's a bit of chafing, I'm afraid, that goes on," he admitted.

When he arrives, small gifts will be exchanged between himself and others in the Cornish village, he said.

Mr Slade is taking some acorns that were given to him by a local vicar.

"Hopefully these can be planted down there. It's a symbolic thing," he said.

"Oak apple day is a big traditional day that happens in St Neot and I've attended the procession they do down there, so it's nice to be able to offer this to them."

Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.