AN OXFORD professor will cycle more than 250 miles through India with his two sons to raise money for the school that rescued his wife when she fled Tibet as a child.

When Sir John Ball's wife Sedhar fled Tibet as a child she was taken to Dr Graham's Homes, in West Bengal, which was founded in 1900 as a home for orphaned and abandoned Anglo-Indian children.

The former actress has since founded a charity which gives money to the school to help change the lives of others in a similar position.

Sir John said the school had changed Lady Ball's life - and ultimately his life - for the better and he felt compelled to give something back.

Along with his two sons, Tenzin, 21 and Palden, 18 he will be part of a group cycling 250 from Paro in Bhutan to the school in Kalimpong in India.

Sir Ball said: "The school has both fee-paying students and sponsored students, Sedhar was a sponsored student and we want to raise money to give more young children the same chance.

"The money will also go to upgrading the school and supporting the area following the earthquake in 2011."

Lady Ball began her education at the school in 1964 and teachers gave her a back-dated birthday of December 13, 1956, and she has never known her official birthday.

Her time at the school enabled her to become an actress and she now lives in Summertown with her family.

At the age of 69 the maths and philosophy professor is one of the Oxford University 'rebels' campaigning against a rule which forces employees to retire, which would compel him to stop working next year.

But his age hasn't stopped him wanting to carry on working and nor will it stop him from taking on the 250-mile bike ride.

He said: "My sons have done a bit more but I did 48 miles at the weekend and will do some more training.

"It's about 50 miles a day starting at altitude, it will be more hilly than Oxfordshire's roads.

He added: "Sedhar is very proud of us all and she's going to be meeting us at the end."

Professor Paul Ewart from the physics department, and another 'retirement rebel' will also be joining the group but the school's chaplain - in his 80s - will be the oldest in the group.

To sponsor the group go to make-a-donation.org/fundraisers/john-ball