All downhill for Kielder recreation chief!

Alex MacLennan who took time out from creating mountain bike trails in Kielder to ride down one of them in aid of the Calvert Trust. Not content with overseeing the massive expansion of mountain bike routes in Kielder Water & Forest Park, Alex MacLennan from Bellingham put on his finest shorts to race hell for leather down one of the beauty-spot's toughest trails for charity. The Forestry Commission recreation chief took part in a mass downhill race in the spectacular 155,000 acre wilderness to raise money for the Calvert Trust Kielder on Sunday (13 Nov). The pulse quickening descent from the top of 2,000 foot Deadwater Fell - the highest off road trail in England - took Alex 17 minutes and 9 seconds, testing nerve and sinew. Alex hopes to raise about £200 for his helter-skelter ride. He explained: "Calvert Trust do awesome work and I am always inspired by what they do, so I felt it was only right to do get involved raising cash. The mass downhill is a fabulous event where 50 riders set out at the same time to race down Deadwater Fell. The weather was very misty at the top, but it's a heck of a ride and I'm very pleased to have come in 31st position with 37 riders finishing. " The event is organised by Northern Downhill, which stages races across the north of England. Winner Jo Young won the race in just under 12 minutes. Forestry Commission