THE mother of a teenager who drowned at sea is taking on a mammoth motorcycle ride to raise funds for the “tireless” volunteers who tried to save her boy.

Vicky Gentry and her husband Colin will jump on their bikes and ride 1,100 miles in memory of her son Ben Quartermaine.

Ben, 15, drowned after struggling in the waters near Clacton Pier in July last year.

His death touched many in the town, with a remembrance day set to honour his life one year on.

The charity motorcycle ride will raise money for the RNLI and to fund a special memorial bench in Ben’s name.

Vicky and Colin are welcoming bikers to join them on any stage of the route, which will start at Clacton and finish at John O’ Groats, in Scotland.

Along the way, they will be stopping at lifeboat stations across the country.

“This is a bit more personal,” said Vicky.

“On the day Ben went missing the lifeboat couldn’t have done any more.

“We just want to give a little bit back.”

Colin added: “That day someone asked how long they would continue searching.

“They said ‘we’ll continue searching until we find him - all day every day until we find him.’”

“If we can somehow incorporate getting the message out about beach safety along the way, then that would be good too.”

The couple hope to see a bench installed along Clacton seafront, acting as a place friends can visit to remember Ben.

“I think it helps, knowing other people are missing him,” said Vicky.

“It shows he’s always going to be thought of.”

She added: “The aim with the ride is to get bikers to join us. If they want to start at one particular station, they would be very welcome.

“We looking for companies willing to sponsor us to help us with petrol and accommodation costs.”

The ride will start on Sunday, August 4 and is expected to take five days.

For a full route plan, visit: facebook.com/Rideforben2019