It took more than four decades, but Steve Poulton has finally got the certificate for a record he set in 1980.

Poulton, 79, from Leckhampton, cycled up Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in 41 hours and 51 minutes, starting from sea level. The record only appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1993, and he only recently received a certificate after realising he could ask for one.

“About two years ago, having watched all the certificates being presented on Strictly Come Dancing within minutes of them achieving their record of a little few tap dances, I thought – I need one of those,” he said.

Poulton, who describes himself as a mountaineer, said he decided to attempt the record after regularly cycling to work.

His first attempt was in 1979, but he failed because his time “was totally out of kilter”, he said.

He tried again the following year and completed the challenge in just under 42 hours, with a support car providing food and water but without another cyclist helping to pace him.

“The objective was to be solo, un-paced, whereas the previous year it was just let’s do it because we want to do it,” he said.

His effort was only recognised in the Guinness Book of World Records after several others had tried and failed to beat his time.

Poulton said he first applied online for a certificate, with no luck. He then sent a letter and was initially told he could not have one because the record had been achieved more than a decade earlier.

“They eventually relented and very kindly, at no cost to me, provided me with the certificate,” he said.

The certificate is now framed in his house alongside the stopwatch used to time his effort.

Poulton said: “It’s the end of a story – or it’s the beginning of a new story”, revealing he was making plans to cycle across Australia to celebrate his 80th birthday.

His record stood for 37 years before it was broken in 2017.

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