DRIVE-BY thugs hurled a liquid at a disabled veteran while he was training to handcycle across Europe for charity.

Help for Heroes ambassador Lee Patmore needs a wheelchair since becoming a veteran and being diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

To stay fit and take on new challenges Lee, who served four years in the Royal Navy, goes handcycling and while training along High Road, Laindon on Tuesday night he was attacked.

He admits he has grown use to people shouting abuse and driving too close, but this took it “a step too far”.

He said: “I get a lot of support when im cycling, people will cheer and offer support, but I also get my fair share of abuse. I am used to people shouting, telling me to get off the road, but I have never had someone throw something at me.

“I am experienced, but what if it had made me swerve into the road?

“This could have caused a serious accident.

“What I find really worrying, is that the car passed me once, and they jeered, but then they pulled into a side road, waited for me to pass and then followed to throw it.

“I think it was just water, but it could have been anything.

“This was pre-meditated and they knew what they were doing.

“I don’t know if the driver knew, but the passengers knew exactly what they were doing.”

Lee believes the people in the car where in their late teens or early 20s.

The veteran is currently handcycling four times-a-week as he trains to take on the Euro Velo 6 route across Europe in May next year, alongside former Royal Engineer Steve Craddock.

The route is 3,653km long, visiting ten countries.

Lee is cycling for Help for Heroes for the seven people who leave the Armed Forces every day with life changing injuries. The father of three served on HMS Gloucester before damaging his back while training for a stint on HMS Edinburgh. He was later diagnosed with ME and Fibromyalgia. To support visit justgiving.com/fundraising/cycle2recovery