An Earlsfield man who lived most of his life with an undiagnosed heart condition was able to complete the Prudential Ride London-Surrey over the weekend.

Tom first began to realise something was wrong when he came down with the flu and started to experience strange, heart attack like symptoms.

At first he tried to sleep it off but he woke feeling worse and his wife found him on his knees in the living room in excruciating pain.

It was then that they realised Tom needed to go to the hospital.

He was kept in intensive care for more than a week and was diagnosed with Myocarditis, which causes inflammation to the heart muscle.

This has left him with scaring on the left side of his heart. Thankfully, though, Tom’s condition is manageable; he now takes regular medication and sees his cardiologist twice a year.

He took on the Ride London event as part of the British Heart Foundation team to raise awareness about heart and circulatory disease, especially in young people.

After crossing the finish line, Tom said: “Taking on the Ride London was a truly phenomenal experience.

"The sense of comradery amongst the cyclists was so uplifting, especially up the more difficult hills, and I loved spotting the red jerseys of other BHF riders along the way.

“I was pretty tired towards the end but the incredible views of London and the excitement coming from the crowds made for an exhilarating atmosphere which carried me across the finish line.

"It feels amazing to know that all of my fundraising efforts and the time and commitment that went into my training will help the BHF to beat heartbreak from inherited heart conditions.”