A Chinese rickshaw that travelled across the world to end up in Havering has been put to good use, raising thousands of pounds for Children with Cancer.

On its first outing – a 110 mile fund raising journey from Upminster to Norfolk – it ended up in ditch following a sudden manoeuvre, was stopped by police in Cambridgeshire who wanted to take a picture, and even had the chain snap a few times.

But eventually it arrived complete with its 10 man crew to raise £6,500 for good causes.

Peter Banks, Upminster Masonic Centre chairman, said: “When it arrived we realised that it was originally made for smaller riders but we quickly adapted it by moving the seat and making a few adjustments.

“The members at Upminster loved the idea of a fundraiser so we decided to set off on a 110-mile sponsored ride which took us a couple days to complete and while it was not without incident – the end result has been worth it.”