Raleigh Chopper rally for Pendleside Hospice (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Raleigh Chopper rally for Pendleside Hospice

9:36am Tuesday 31st August 2010 in Foulridge

PUNKS, skins and disco divas mounted vintage Raleigh Chopper bikes to scale the countryside in the name of charity.

More than 30 people, many of them members of Pendle Forest Cycle Club, dressed in 1970s costumes rode the iconic bikes on a six-and-three-quarter-mile circuit from Thornton-in-Craven, into Yorkshire and back through Barnoldswick on Saturday.

The gang, which included an eight-year-old boy dressed as a 1970s footballer, a man imitating glam rock legend Alvin Stardust and lots of cyclists in bright afro-style wigs, took on the challenge for Pendleside Hospice.

And one man dressed as American motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel even managed to fall off his bike – in true homage to the late star.

Organiser Billy Dixon, 45, hailed the event a huge success.

The married father-of-two, of Colne, organised the ride with friend Carl Pawson, of Foulridge.

He said: “Carl and I have had Choppers for years and we were talking one night and said ‘have we to get our Choppers out for charity?’ It all stemmed from that really. It was a real hoot.”

Billy said they decided to help the hospice because several group members’ relatives had been cared for there. So far they have raised more than £1,000.