WHEELS were in motion this week for two Blackpool charity riders - all 172 miles to Coventry.

Gary Dowling and Paul Griffin were waved off by friends on their mammoth cycle ride from Blackpool North railway station at 6pm on Monday (October 11) in aid of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund.

And the pair travelled through the night to reach Coventry station on Tuesday afternoon.

Gary, 39, of Whitegate Drive, said: "Our madcap ride was for a good cause and that's why we decided to go ahead with it - it's certainly not for pleasure. But it's also a cause close to my heart - I lost my father through cancer.

"So it was important for me to raise some much needed money for the charity and people have been very generous so far. "We set a total of £1,000 between us. Although we've not counted all the money yet, I think we're close to, if not over it, so the long and very tiring road to Coventry was well worth it."

But this isn't the first time Gary has done the Blackpool to Coventry ride - he completed the ride last year for charity - and it probably won't be the last time his saddle will be blazing.

"I'd like sometime in the near future to do a Blackpool Tower to Eiffel Tower ride.

"Doing these rides is something which I enjoy doing and at the end of the day the charities benefit.

"It has always been an ambition of mine to raise enough money to buy a guide dog for the blind, but at the last glance that would mean raising something in the region of £5,000.

"But I would like to think that through this ride this week other charities will approach us to do something in the same ilk for them."

Any charities can contact Gary on (07979) 402842.

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