British teenager, 18, is rushed to hospital in China after crash during 6,000-mile charity bike ride with friends

Published: 10:31, 9 August 2026 | Updated: 10:33, 9 August 2026 A teenager has been rushed to hospital following a 'serious' crash on a 6,000–mile charity bike ride from Britain to Thailand. Dyfan Hughes, 18, is being treated in a China hospital after suffering head, neck and leg injuries. He had been travelling with friends Louis Dennis, 19, and James Thomas, 19, to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. The trio, from Llangollen, North Wales, set out from Wrexham a year ago and were cycling through China towards Chiang Mai in Thailand at the time of the incident. In a Facebook post, the group wrote: 'We didn't expect to be making this post. 'Dyfan has been in an accident and we are currently in hospital. He has a head, neck and leg injury but he's stable and in one of the best places in the world for this kind of accident to get the best recovery out of him. 'We don't know what this means for the trip right now but one thing is for sure, we will stick together and when we arrive in Chang Mai, Thailand it will be the three of us no matter how long it takes. 'We will give more updates in the next few days.' Dyfan had been travelling with friends Louis Dennis, 19, and James Thomas, 19, to raise money for the British Heart Foundation The trio, from Llangollen, North Wales, set out from Wrexham a year ago and were travelling through China towards Chang Mai in Thailand They are raising money for the British Heart Foundation in memory of Tony Edge, the father of their friend Harrison, who passed away following a heart attack in 2024 The three friends quit their jobs last year - with Dyfan leaving bar work, Louis his factory post and James his role at McDonald's - to undertake the journey. They are raising money for the British Heart Foundation in memory of Tony Edge, the father of their friend Harrison, who passed away following a heart attack in 2024. Typically, they have been spending six to eight hours a day on their bikes and are camping or staying in budget accommodation. The group have only packed essentials including sleeping mats, sleeping bags, a tent, a stove, a first-aid kit, a couple of changes of clothes and tins of food. Their fundraising page has so far raised nearly £50,000. A statement on the page reads: 'We’re three young Welsh lads raising money for the British Heart Foundation in memory of a friend’s Dad. 'Think of this as backing three idiots on a mission. We will be sharing every pedal, every flat tyre, every breakdown, on social media, and using the platform we build to point people to BHF. Thank you for the support.'