A WOKING man driving his 70-year-old tractor to Ireland for charity set off from Goldsworth Park on Sunday to rousing cheers, good luck messages and a motorcycle escort.

John Leane left the Woking & Sam Beare Hospice aiming to complete his 485-mile trip to Knocknagoshel, the village in County Kerry from which his family hail, on Sunday. John had initially planned to make the journey on his 1952 Ferguson two years ago, only to have COVID intervene.

Sophie Crossman, representing the hospice, one of the beneficiaries of John’s drive, said: “John has raised more than £6,000 for us. It was a pleasure for myself and my colleagues to join John’s family and friends to see him off on his travels with his wife, Halina, who will be following him along the way.

“We are so incredibly grateful to John and Halina, who despite two years of setbacks still went ahead with this amazing fundraising trip and didn’t let anything dampen their spirits.

“Thank you to everyone who has been involved in making this happen and to those who have kindly made donations and sponsored John.”

John is also fundraising for Pieta House, a suicide and self-harm crisis and suicide bereavement service based in Ireland.