A ROSSENDALE father and son will be monkeying around Britain' when they set off on a challenge to travel the country using an unlikely mode of transport.

For Rob Nuttall and his 18-year-old son Sam, who live in Haslingden, will be travelling around 5,000 miles using Monkey Bikes.

The Monkey Bikes mini motorbikes with extended handles bought especially for the challenge by Rob from the sale of his motorbike, will cover roughly 120 miles per day, on a journey that will take them six weeks to complete in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

The pair are ready for a tough journey on board the 110cc bikes which will start at Blackpool Tower on Saturday.

The duo hope to return to finish at the same point on August 12.

Rob, 40, of Linden Park Road, Ewood Bridge, who is more used to the luxury of a more powerful 1200cc Yamaha bike, says the task won't be an easy one.

He said: "Just imagine riding for around 120 miles with your bum 25 inches off the ground.

"It's not going to be very comfortable but that's what makes the challenge even more interesting it would have been easy to use a motorbike but where's the adventure in that?

"People travel on a motorbike to France so we thought it would be far more of a challenge to do it on these Monkey Bikes."

The "Monkeying around Britain" madness was thought up by Rob, having been inspired by actor Ewan McGregor and film director's son Charley Boorman's adventures travelling 20,000 miles around the world from London to New York the long way round.

Rob said: "After meeting Charley Boorman at a motorcycle show I became determined to complete my own challenge.

"After toying with the idea on and off for several months I came up with the idea to travel the coastline of mainland Britain sticking as closely as possible to the coast without using any motorways, on these bikes."

Having been offered Macmillan's services when his father Alan was ill with lung cancer, Rob decided he wanted to do something to help Macmillan continue its vital work.

People wanting to sponsor them can do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/mab2006 or by sending donations to Monkeying Around Britain, c/o Helen Yates, Macmillan Cancer Support, Suite 13, Ground Floor, Newton House, Faraday Street, Birchwood Park, WA3 6FW.