1 day ago
1
33 minutes ago
Duncan HodgsonNorth East and Cumbria
Nordoff and Robbins
The 1975 bassist Ross MacDonald (left), Brian MacDonald and the team completed the 1,180 mile ride for a music charity
A bike shop unknowingly came to the rescue of the bassist from The 1975 during a charity cycle.
Ross MacDonald from the Brit-award winning band was cycling from Lands End to John O'Groats when his bike broke down in Penrith, in Cumbria.
Owner of Arragon's Cycles, on Brunswick Road, Sarah Graham provided MacDonald with a hire bike to continue his journey and said it was not until later she realised she had been in the presence of a "rock star".
The 36-year-old musician and his team were doing the challenge for a music therapy charity, and have so far raised more than £32,000.
Sarah, who owns the shop with her husband Phil Graham, said they regularly service the bikes of people taking on the Lands End to John O'Groats challenge and had been booked to do it for a group last Monday.
When the group arrived, one of bikes had damage to its frame that was beyond repair.
"We had to write the bike off which was a bit of a shocker for them," the 48-year-old said.
Arragon's Cycles
Sarah and Phil Graham have owned Arragon's Cycles since 2003
Graham said although she had heard the band's music, it was only when a reporter contacted her to ask about what had happened, she realised who she had helped.
"It was only then that we realised we were in the presence of rock stars," she said.
"He's a really tall man with quite a well groomed look, but we had no idea that he was famous."
The team, which included Brian MacDonald, the bassist from the American band PVRIS, were doing the ride for charity Nordoff and Robbins.
The charity provides music therapy for those with disabilities, illnesses and social issues, and trains people to become music therapists.
Sandy Trappitt, director of fundraising, said without the support from Arragon's the challenge could have been disrupted.
"It meant that they could continue safely and on schedule, and we can't thank them enough for helping to keep everything on track," she said.
MacDonald said the ride had been a "huge challenge".
"There were some dark moments that pushed me beyond the limit of what I thought I was mentally and physically capable," he said.
"But there were some tremendous, euphoric moments of sheer joy."
