HE lost both legs in Afghanistan, but that is not going to stop Sergeant Simon Harmer cycling across America.

The injured serviceman from Kings Worthy will be riding a specially adapted hand-driven bike for the challenge.

He will be joined by seven other soldiers who have also been wounded in action.

They will be taking part in Race Across America, which covers 3,051 miles in 12 states.

It includes more than 100,000 feet of climbing and distances of more than 350 miles per day.

It is regarded as one of the toughest cycling challenges in the world, and is longer than the Tour de France.

Sgt Harmer, 36, lost his legs after stepping on an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Afghanistan three years ago.

The married father-of-one, who served as an army medic, will tackle the cycle race in June.

His team includes servicemen from across Britain. The other riders are Steven Arnold, Mark Allen, Joe Townsend, Steven Richardson, Rupert Smedley, Don Maclean and Jamie Hull. They will be joined by a support crew.

The team is sponsored by SNR Denton, Airpartner, Endura, Sat Com Global, Schwalbe, Scott, Torq Fitness, Ultimate Sports Engineering, Under Armour, Kask, Beyond the Beaten Track, and SATMAP.

They will be raising money for Help for Heroes. Visit bmycharity.com/battlebackraam2012 to find out more.