Sutton Hoo is famous for the discovery of an

"Traditionally that would happen because as it's a relic, you're bringing a saint's bones, and that would be a massive tourist attraction."So that's why this town is called St Neots - it was renamed, but there's still that rivalry that goes between the two and I'm hoping to patch some of that up," he said.

"The story stuck, so there's been this sort of fractious divide ever since between the two places."Mr Slade said he was looking forward to some beautiful countryside and a tailwind on his journey, "so it should feel nice and easy".His first proper stop along the route is planned at 130 miles (210km), when he reaches Melksham in Wiltshire.

On Sunday he will travel another 93 miles (150km) stopping in Exeter in Devon. Then on the Monday, there is the final 60-mile (96km) ride to St Neot.Although Cambridgeshire is known for being largely flat, Mr Slade said he had found a few hills and had been going up and down them a lot as part of the training.

"I feel ready - I feel like I'm fit and able."

He said while the bicycle's saddle "might resemble a razor blade", he had padded shorts.Last year, it adds, the England and Wales water sector invested £9.2bn, which it says is the highest capital investment ever in a single year.

And it’s important to note that not all water companies are the same.A few are well run, have manageable debts and have invested steadily in their infrastructure over the three decades since privatisation, while delivering dividends to the shareholders who have provided the capital required by a privatised model.

Regardless, lenders are now demanding higher rates from other water companies, too, as the whole sector appears a riskier bet.The regulator Ofwat allowed this increase in debt to happen as for many years it did not consider that it had the requisite powers to dictate how companies chose to structure their finances.