PINTS of Lancaster Bomber ale, shire horses and the Accrington Stanley first team were out in force to welcome a ‘squadron’ to East Lancashire as part of their mammoth 700 mile marathon for charity.

Members of the RAF Dambusters Squadron, also known as Number 617, raced into Thwaites’ Penny Street headquarters in Blackburn along with merchant banker and philanthropist Ilyas Khan as part of a massive fundraising effort for the charity he chairs, the Leonard Cheshire Disability Trust, whose founder joined the section in 1943.

Mr Khan, from Accrington, pledged to run a marathon a day along the route to help raise funds for life enhancing equipment and facilities for the 6,500 people the charity helps.

Lord Nicholas Windsor also joined the team on the fourth day of their seven-day non-stop relay challenge along with Haslingden High and Stonyhurst College’s Combined Cadet Corps pupils and the footballers.

Yesterday’s full route was from Glossop to RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, stopping in Blackburn, Rishton, Fence and Colne.

Thwaites, which was one of the main sponsors of the event, teamed up with the charity to raise funds in honour of the links created through its best-selling beer, Lancaster Bomber, named after the planes used in the famous Operation Chastise 70 years ago. Mr Khan, who has chaired the charity for four years, said: “I’m pretty tired but it’s been truly incredible to be part of a team effort to raise money for something close to my heart.

“I’ve been looking forward to this leg since we created the event because it’s my home and I am glad it is going so well. It’s a privilege to run alongside members of the squadron.”

Thwaites chief executive Steve Magnall said: “We are trying to raise £50,000 for the charity.”