TEN Lancashire soldiers are preparing for the challenge of a lifetime - cycling through five countries in five days.

The servicemen and women from 93 Signal Squadron (Volunteers) form the majority of a team of 12 cyclists will who will cycle up to 62 miles a day through Germany, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France.

The team, who serve at either the squadron's base in Canterbury Street, Blackburn, or its base in Boundary Lane, Manchester, have been preparing and training for months.

They are:

Capt Dale Ikin from Clayton-le-Woods
Capt Robin Fitzpatrick from Darwen
Cpl Andrew Thompson from Darwen
LCpl Jason Whalley from Sabden
Sig Nicole Curry from Shadsworth, Blackburn
Sig Martin Dandy from Padiham
Sig Gareth Lewis from Burnley
Sig Charlene Warburton from Accrington
Sig Kathryn Wilkinson from Salford
Sig Simon Bond from Manchester

The "Witches Endurance" challenge, named after Pendle's famous witches, starts this Sunday with a 51-mile leg from Holland to Belgium.

Day two is 56.5 miles and all in Belgium. Day three is 50.4 miles from Belgium into France and back to Belgium.

Day four is a rest day - which sees soldiers spend a day carrying out activities at the Euro Space Centre in Wallonia, Belgium.

The final day, Friday, August 3 is a 43 mile ride from Belgium, through Luxembourg and ending in Germany.

The aim is to raise as much money as possible for two charities - East Lancashire Hospice, in Park Lee Road, Blackburn, and the New Children's Hospital Appeal, Manchester.

Captain Dale Ikin, organiser of Witches Endurance said: "The team has trained very hard for this challenge and are looking forward to it.

"It is an opportunity for 93 Signal Squadron to help two very worthwhile charities in Blackburn and Manchester, the two areas in which we train and recruit our soldiers from."

More information about the challenge and its participants can be found at the website below.

To make a donation, send a cheque made payable to 93 Signal Squadron, with a covering note, to Witches Endurance, 93 Signal Sqaudron, Canterbury Street, Blackburn, BB2 2HS.