A Branston cyclist who took on a gruelling 711 mile challenge in honour of his football mad daughter, has told how her memory spurred him on, and how fitting it was that his journey ended at a Burton Albion football match.

Ian Leech, 54, was inspired by his daughter Mel’s love of football, to set out on a gruelling journey, cycling to 30 football stadiums in honour of Mel who would have celebrated her 30 birthday on August 19.

Mel died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2008 at the age of 20 and since then Ian, who is community engagement manager for St Giles Hospice, has raised thousands of pounds for charity in her memory.

Ian is pictured with Mel, who would have been 30 this month

Mr Leech battled heavy rain and 34 degree temperatures to raise more than £2,300, plotting routes and being joined by friends and family to complete the task at Burton Albion’s game against Cardiff City on Saturday.

He said: "It was pretty amazing. There were no hairy moments and most things ran smoothly but it was much more emotional than I expected.

"Mel was a huge football fan and so many of the grounds I have visited are ones we went to together, so there were lots of happy and emotional moments along the way.

"We went up to Liverpool on Monday where a commemorative stone has been placed for Mel. It was very strange driving up there and thinking about how I have cycled all that way, I don’t think it has quite sunk in. It is a bit odd to think that 12 months ago I had this idea and on Saturday I completed it."

Ian Leech had a chat with the Brewers manager Nigel Clough

Ian, who was joined by his other daughter Becky for the final 25 miles of the charity cycle, said he is surprised at how good he is feeling, and went out on Sunday for a ride.

He said: "I think I was quite laid back during the challenge which helped. One of the things that Mel’s illness, death and life has taught me is to live in the moment and I have got very good at it. I took one ride at a time.

"There were challenges, especially when I had to cycle 87 miles in 34 degree heat and when I cycled in Birmingham in heavy rain but the final day was fantastic.

"Thunderstorms were predicted but we didn’t hit any rain until we got to Tutbury and we went to the tearooms to wait it out, getting to Burton Albion for half time."

Ian, who said Mel "inspires him every day and spurs him on when things get difficult" said doing a lap of honour at the Pirelli stadium was the perfect end to Mel’s 30.

Fund-raisers were at the Burton Albion game collecting cash

He said: "To be able to walk around and see the crowd cheering and to be able to thank people for their support was incredible and overwhelming.

"Burton Albion is where Mel’s love of football began so it is fitting that that is where Mel’s 30 was finished. The reception was amazing. I was greeted by Ben Robinson and had a chat with Nigel Clough and Neil Warnock. It meant so much to me."

Throughout Mel’s 30, Ian climbed 34,630 feet, cycled 711.12 miles, spent 50 hours and 40 minutes in the saddle and burned 48,394 calories.

Although Ian admits he hated cycling when he first started, he said it has become like therapy for him.

He said: "The bike is my therapy. I used to hate the early mornings and being on my own but I started to miss it when I didn’t do it and it has become a bit of an escape for me. My job is about raising awareness of the hospice and bereavement so it can be pretty full on and cycling helps with that."

The Burton Albion players donned St Giles t-shirts during their warm up

Brewers fans help with donations

Burton Albion fans donated a total of £433.34 to St Giles Hospice at Saturday's home game against Cardiff.

The hospice conducted a bucket collection at turnstiles and along with Burton Albion Football Club would like to thank fans for their generosity.

The players wore St Giles Hospice T-shirts in the warm up, before signing them and handing them to spectators.

Personal thank you’s from Ian

"Firstly, thank you to my bike, I couldn't have done it without you, you were a pleasure to be with. Thank you to everyone who has donated to the cause and helped raise awareness, your kindness will make a difference to those people being cared for by St Giles Hospice.

"Thank you to those people who rode with me, Peter Seedhouse, Raymond Barks and Becky Leech your company made those rides more memorable. Thank you to all my friends and colleagues at St Giles for their support, in particular, Jenni Fryer and Zoe Westwood for your organisational skills in sorting out things, particularly yesterday. Thank you too to the bucketeers, you looked and were aces.

Ian Leech is pictured at the King Power Stadium during the challenge

"Thank you to the people I met along the journey who helped me create many memories. A huge thank you to Ben Robinson and Burton Albion Football Club. To finish off the challenge in the way I was able to was the icing on the cake.

"To be greeted on the pitch by Ben and then be able to walk around the ground and have photographs taken with Nigel Clough and Neil Warnock was a sensational way to end 710 miles of cycling.

"Thank you to Julie Leech for washing my kit, listening to me endlessly going on about cycle routes and for giving up a lot of the summer so I could complete this challenge.

"Finally, thank you to Mel Leech, for the times we spent watching football, the memories we created and for being the true inspiration behind #mels30."