CYCLISTS will pedal 600 miles in six days to raise money for charity.

The 14-strong team will travel from Colchester to Harwich before catching the ferry to the Hook of Holland.

From there they will visit Arnhem, Brussels and Liege before travelling back via the Hook of Holland again.

They are raising money for Colchester Hospitals Charity.

Publicans Dave and Fiona Richards, owners of The Bull, in Crouch Street, Colchester, will lead the ride.

Mr Richards said: “There are 14 of us taking part, from strong riders who ride with clubs to those who ride for fun.

“We’re aged from our 20s up to about 50, and we’ve all been training hard, although the weather hasn’t always been helpful!

“The total distance will be 600 miles, which will vary from between 135 miles to 69 miles each day.”

The pair were persuaded to take part by friend Anna Holliday, who is a Sister with the Colchester Community Children’s Nurses Team.

It is the second time Mr Richards will have taken part in a fundraising cycle ride.

Two years ago he and ten others raised £14,000 for St Helena Hospice by cycling the 360 miles from Paris to Colchester in six days.

The Colchester Community Children’s Nurses Team has 15 staff, including nurses and nursery nurses.

Mrs Holliday said: “We’re always looking to increase the amount of equipment that we have and to replace older items.

“This enables parents to help us to look after their children in the comfortable and familiar environment of their own home.

“Items we’d like include specialist children’s blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters to measure oxygen levels in the blood, syringe drivers and suction machines.”

She has already raised £3,000 for the Colchester Community Children’s Nurses Team by holding a ball last month at Colchester Golf Club.

The riders will be followed by a minibus and trailer carrying all their kit. They will sleep on the ferry at the end of the first day and then at either campsites or hotels.

*Anyone who would like to sponsor the cyclists visit cyclabull.co.uk/the-charity/