I was reading a blog post about the attempt on fb a couple of days ago, and made a comment to the assembled ex in-common-law family about knowing Steve. Turns out that my ex brother-in-common-law (not an audaxer or a massive cyclist, although he recently started riding his bike to keep fit a bit round Salford and Manchester) knew about it, having read summat t'other day. On twitter, I think.
So even people in Barrow in Furness have heard about it!