Cylists test medical equipment on bike ride to Austria

The charity’s James Oakley, from Hove, East Sussex, has a son named Casper who has congenital central hypoventilation syndrome.

The rare neurological condition means he cannot breathe properly while asleep without mechanical ventilation.

On the journey, dubbed Ride for Rare, the riders will test a wearable carbon dioxide monitor called Vento.

The device has been developed by Keep Me Breathing, where Howell is Vento project chief, to continuously monitor breathing by tracking carbon dioxide levels.

The idea is that it will help people with respiratory conditions by detecting deterioration earlier.