A GROUP of former and current cricketers are tackling the full length of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in order to raise funds for Cancer Research UK and Pendleside Hospice.

Adam Hope, Gavin Boyle, Paul Ormerod, Chris and Paul McEvoy, Matthew and Scott Doughty, Scott Hope and three other friends, who have all played for Lowerhouse or Read, are cycling the 127 miles length of the canal from Liverpool to Leeds on September 6.

And the fundraising is going well. Initially they wanted to raise £1,000 but have passed that milestone and pledges currently stand at £1,237 so they have upped their target to £3,500.

And they are all looking forward to the ride, even though they have not done anything like it before and training is going well.

Adam said: “We are setting off from Liverpool and are going to ride to Leeds on our mountain bikes. The whole 127 miles are going to be a massive challenge as none of us have done anything like it before.

“I personally have really been hitting the canal hard in the last couple of weeks. Two of the other lads and I managed Skipton and back last weekend topping 50 miles.”

To contribute visit justgiving.com/teams/Burnleyboys or people can donate via SMS. To do so text ABLH57 then the amount (eg £1) to 70070 and it will go straight to Cancer Research UK.