Who says cyclists are backward? Pensioner has spent 70 YEARS perfecting his unusual riding technique

Meurig Evans showed off his skills to celebrate his 80th birthday

The pensioner perfected the technique when he was ten-years-old

Father-of-two has also overcome dyslexia to write his memoirs

When Meurig Evans cycles around the Welsh village where he lives he says there is only one way to do it.



The 80-year-old from Llansadwrn, Carmarthenshire has perfected the art of cycling backwards and has been able to do it since he was a boy.



As a child Mr Evans loved to experiment on his bicycle, and struck upon the novel way to get around while messing about when he was ten-years-old.



Meurig Evans riding his bike near his home in Llansawel, Carmarthenshire

In the 70 years that followed he kept up with the skill, and says that it is the best way to get about.

But as the years went on Mr Evans' age has meant that villagers have not seen him perform the trick so frequently.



So to prove that age is nothing but a number, the farmer shocked bystanders by taking his bike for a backwards spin to celebrate his 80th birthday.



(Left) Mr Evans working on the farm as a young man and (right) showing off his pedaling prowess aged 80



Mr Evans, from Llansadwrn, has spent the last 70 years riding his bike backwards after mastering the technique when he was ten-years-old

Mr Evans, who has lived in the village his whole life told the Carmarthenshire Journal: 'I was planning to do it every 20 years for my birthday, but I thought that was a bit of a long time so I celebrated my 80th by cycling backwards.'



But the married father-of-two is not alone in his love of backwards cycling.



In 2004 American Darl Bonnema broke the Guinness World Record for cycling backwards on a bicycle when he travelled 111.956 miles in 24 hours.



Mr Evans got back in the saddle to celebrate his 80th birthday this month, and says it is the only way to travel



To mark his 80th year Mr Evans also set himself the challenge of overcoming dyslexia to write a book of his childhood memories.



His book, entitled The Furrow Of My Life was recorded by Mr Evans and written by a friend.



More than 400 people turned out to support Mr Evans when his book was launched earlier this year.



He added: 'A tremendous lot of people turned up — more than 400 — and that knocked me for six.'



Mr Evans has also written a book about life in the village, overcoming dyslexia aged 80



