Walton-on-the-Hill came to a standstill on Friday to see off a Watermead father as he embarked on a 900-mile cycle ride to raise money for his son’s specialist eczema treatment.

From Monday: Father of little boy with ‘debilitating’ eczema will cycle 900 miles to fund treatment

Paul Bishop, 43, and friends Paul Brown, Neil Whitton, and John Chammings embarked on their gruelling nine-day cycle to the south of France on Friday, September 11.

Setting off, they rode first through the Vale Primary School, Epsom, which son Morgan Bishop attends, and then Walton-on-the-Hill Primary School, where some 500 people turned out to wave them off.

Morgan’s mum, Dana Bishop, 36, said: "Seeing all those people from both primary schools come out to support Paul and Morgan was really overwhelming.

"People lined the streets and were chanting Morgan! Morgan!

"Walton-on-the-Hill came to a standstill - I can’t even put into words how inspiring it was."

Five-year-old Morgan, from Watermead, suffers from a type of eczema so severe he can barely move without the skin around his face, arms or legs cracking.

His parents set up a fundraising campaign this year for Morgan to travel to Avene, near Montpellier, for life-changing spa treatments which cost £5,000 apiece.

Last month the Bishop family went on their first trip to Avene, and Mrs Bishop said seeing an improvement in Morgan’s condition was incredibly emotional.

She said: "Just seeing Morgan being able to run around, or ride his bike is amazing. It’s been such a struggle that having a bit of normality is incredible.

"Eczema has controlled our lives for so long, it’s just nice to see him feel comfortable for once."

Friday’s send-off came hot on the heels of a fundraising ball held at Epsom Downs Racecourse the previous Saturday, and the family said their combined efforts will have raised a whopping £50,000.

The Bishop family are set to fly out to watch Mr Bishop finish the epic feat, which Mrs Bishop tracks through an app on her iPad.

She said: "I’m always checking how far he’s made it every day. Right now he’s about halfway, he’s almost reached Lyon.

"It’s a huge challenge but it makes such a difference. Morgan was rode his bike at the school and he never would have been able to do it without the treatment he’s had so far."

Sponsor Mr Bishop via the website gofundme.com/paulbishop