A young Falmouth man with learning difficulties who was "lost without" his mother after she died of cancer will spend six hours on an exercise bike for Cancer Research.

Tom Clements, 22, is undertaking his six hour bike challenge to support the cancer charity and two other charities he volunteers for, Source FM and The Poly, at a fundraising event at the Falmouth Hotel on August 6.

Tom said: "I'm volunteering at the Cancer Research shop now, and working here [The Poly] and I present my own radio show on Source FM: they all mean something to me.

"Nearly three years ago my mum passed away with cancer and it means a lot to me. I just want to give back to all the charities.

"I've got learning difficulties, my mum just helped me a lot. Making appointments, everything. when she passed away it was so hard to realise she's not going to be there. These three years it's been difficult but I had to learn and do it on my own."

Tom, who has dyslexia and dyspraxia, lived with his parents and his sister, but has since moved out to rent on his own. He added: "I was lost without my mum. So I want to give back.

"I started to help out in the local Cancer Research shop in Falmouth but I want to do more than that.

"I wanted to do another fundraising event but didn't want to leave out the other charitiesI'm working for."

Tom started volunteering at The Poly because he used to be in Young Generation theatre production there, and he also likes the institution's long history in the town.

He also has a regular Saturday morning show on Source FM, which is a community radio station staffed by volunteers.

Between 8am and 10am he plays a variety of music, as well as keeping listeners informed about what's happening at The Poly, and said: "It's been going for a couple of months now and I'm loving every bit of it."

Tom chose an exercise bike as a way of raising money as his dyspraxia makes some activities more difficult for him.

He said: "I can't ride a normal bike, I find it really difficult to ride a normal bike, so I thought one step before that is an exercise bike.

"I've been training, and I just pedal along, but it's a big challenge to do six hours on it."

He added: "I will be thinking of my mum, she will be supporting me.

"That's what motivates me, and all my friends and family and my girlfriend, I'll keep on thinking about them."

To support Tom, visit his JustGiving page at crowdfunding.justgiving.com/tomclements