A British boy has become the fastest child to cycle across Australia after making the 2,784-mile journey from Sydney to Perth in just 29 days.

Si-am Juntakereket, aged 13, cycled around 100 miles a day as he travelled from east to west, sleeping in a tent as he went.

As well as battling 40-degree heat and ferocious headwinds, the Cornish youngster suffered seven punctures in one day and at one point had to dive out of the way of an oncoming truck.

He was followed all the way by his mother, Tania Jeffery, who was driving a Land Rover.

Si-am, from Bodmin, arrived in Perth on Friday, smashing the previous 44-day record for a child doing the journey.

The 13-year-old dipped his bicycle in the sea as he celebrated reaching his final destination.

His stepfather Simon Gillett, 53, said: "It was arduous and gruelling but he has kept his spirits high.

"They're relieved to have got to the end. Si-am is so pleased that he's done it - he wants to keep on going."

Si-am first started cycling four years ago and decided to ride across Australia a year ago after being inspired by his cycling coach, endurance athlete Bob Brown, who started the journey with him.

His training involved waking up at 6.30am to cycle for two hours before school and getting back on the bike after class.

They set off from Forster, north of Sydney on March 3 and headed east via Adelaide, going through the Nullarbor Plain and ending in Busselton south of Perth.

The initial aim was to complete the journey in 32 days, but Si-am did it in 29.

Si-am is fundraising for learning disability charity United Response and Red Nose Day.