A Laxey couple have fulfilled a long-held ambition to watch the Tour de France, and were able to support a local sporting hero into the bargain.

Alison Ratcliffe and her husband spent a week following the cyclists before the first rest day.

They were in a camper van, which they drove to France from Luton before joining the scores of people who travel from all over the world for the event.

Mark Cavendish, who is from the same village as the Ratcliffes, gave them a wave as he sped past, and Alison says the crowd went wild (play audio file):

Mark Cavendish has already won four stages in this year's Tour de France and is hoping to make it five when the toughest cycling race in the world reaches a climax in the Champs Elysees in Paris on Sunday.