A father and son duo waved goodbye to scores of family and friends on the second leg of their epic bike ride to Japan on Saturday.

Mark and Sam Swain, from Canterbury, have put 500 miles behind them in cycling east from the west of Ireland but have 11,000 more to cover before they reach Tokyo, Japan.

The pair - aged 50 and 18 - are raising funds for the Rising Sun Domestic Violence Project in Canterbury.

Mark said: "I'm feeling good. We've got a free meal ticket on the ferry so we'll have a good lunch to see us on our way.

"I don't mind the rain; we tend to go faster when it rains and we're drying off pretty fast."

Mark and Sam will head to Metz from Calais and then into Germany and Austria over the coming weeks.

A change in their planned route will will now take them into Georgia, where violence erupted between the army and Russian forces.

"Iran refused us a visa so we're now going to go through Georgia, which could be very interesting after Friday's events."

Sam said: "I am excited but I will miss my friends badly. I am more upset to leave them than I thought I'd be."

The year-long cycle idea was born when 10-year-old Sam asked his dad how far Japan was.

Mark's wife Lorna said: "I am very proud to be part of such an exciting adventure - but I will miss them hugely.

"I see me and my daughter Scarlett as having an important role here at home; like a campaign headquarters!"