A DUNFERMLINE man is ready to pedal 170 miles for a stroke charity – nearly a year to the day since he suffered from one.

Scott Hutchinson, who is the current chair of Dunfermline Cycling Club, said it was fate that the two-day ‘Ride the North’ challenge fell almost exactly on the date he feared he might never see his two young daughters again.

He will climb into the saddle on August 25 for the event, which includes 13,000 feet of climbing, to raise money for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHSS).

Scott, 46, had a stroke while at work in Edinburgh on August 29 last year and admitted the experience was a “bit of a shocker” – especially as the cause remains unknown.

“The doctors have spent a considerable amount of time trying to get to the bottom of it but unfortunately they couldn’t,” he explained. “I’ve always got this thing at the back of my mind wondering ‘Will it happen again?’ but, relatively speaking, I’ve been assured I’m low risk.

“It was a bit of a shocker, to put it mildly, and it puts things in perspective, but I’ve been very lucky and have not been affected as badly as other people. It struck with no warning when I lost all sensation in my right arm and face. Our office was quiet at the time as most people were out for lunch, but I managed to tell nearby colleagues that something was wrong.

“One of them immediately suspected the worst and an ambulance was called. I started to lose consciousness but, fortunately, my colleagues helped me from my chair to the floor before I fell. I remember the paramedics arriving, asking me questions; could I raise my arms, could I smile, could I speak clearly. I knew why they were asking.

“At that point I began to black out again, on the floor with various wires attached to my chest and all I could see was a circle of faces around me fading out of focus. The immediate thought that struck me was I was never going to see my two young daughters again, that this was ‘it’.

“I was terrified.”

The speedy arrival of the ambulance and transfer to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary aided his recovery, but he admitted that he broke down and feared what the future may hold after it was confirmed he’d had a stroke.

He continued: “I get bad fatigue and it’s odd. I can ride 100 miles and obviously feel tired, or I can sit and watch the telly and, in 5-10 minutes, feel like I can sleep for three days.

“Memory loss is an odd one too; I can have a conversation with people, but I can speak to them again two days later and can’t remember. Needless to say my kids have been having a bit of fun with that!

“You have to make light of things and take the positives. My family and people in the cycling club have been great. They’ve helped me get back on the bike, which was the first thing I asked the consultant about.

“I knew that CHSS were involved through professional circles; they know I ride bikes and asked if I was interested in helping out? I thought I’d tie something I enjoy doing with giving something back. When I saw the dates, I thought it’s fate.”

To sponsor Scott, go to https://ridethenorth18-chss.everydayhero.com/uk/scott4chss.