A GROUP of keen cyclists are preparing for their toughest challenge yet – a 490-mile ride along the south coast to raise much-needed funds for charity.

Gavin Wheeler, 33, and his friends Bob Bardell, Leanne Hillery, Benjamin Fabi, Liam Spurgeon, Paul Thomas and Jamie Rudderham will attempt to cycle from Colchester to Lands End in aid of the Cancer Centre Campaign, which is supported by the Gazette.

The group, who all live in Colchester and are aged between 21 and 45, all cycle regularly, so wanted to make the journey as challenging as possible.

They have decided that instead of taking the normal route, they would ride down to Brighton and then travel to Lands End along the south coast.

Gavin, who lives in Copford, said: “Because we are all into cycling, we didn’t want to do something we would do for fun anyway.

“We wanted to take on a bigger challenge.

“The route along the coastline is very challenging as it is extremely hilly.”

The group will set off on July 25 and plan to cover about 100 miles a day for five days.

Gavin, who works as a tiller, decided he wanted to do some fundraising for the campaign because his mother is undergoing treatment for cancer.

He said: “I’ve done other things for charity and it just goes into a big pot, it could go anywhere in the country, but any money raised by our challenge is going to Colchester General Hospital.

“It is something anyone of us could use in the future.”

To train, the group have been cycling approximately 100 miles every week.

Gavin said: “I’m excited about it.

I’m looking forward to it.

“The weather could play a big part in it.

“I’ve never ridden day, after day, after day before, most of my riding is normally at the weekend.”

For more information and to sponsor their challenge search Cycle South Colchester to Land’s End on Facebook.

The campaign

The Gazette is supporting the £4.5million appeal to build a new cancer centre at Colchester General Hospital.

The centre would allow all cancer treatments to be carried out in the same place, with areas for complementary therapists, Macmillan nurses and voluntary groups to be based there.

Text GAZE11 £10 to 70070 to donate to the Cancer Centre Campaign (or chose a different amount).

Cheques can also be made payable to CoHoC Cancer Centre Campaign and sent to Colchester Hospitals Charity, Villa 10, Turner Road, Colchester, CO4 5JL.

For more information about the appeal, go to www.cohoc.org.uk