CHARITY cyclists have helped to raise more than £5,600 for a breast cancer care unit at a world-famous cancer centre by completing a long-distance challenge.

The nine-strong team cycled the 90 miles from Northwich to Snowdonia for the Christie charity, which supports The Christie cancer centre at Manchester.

The marathon started at The Gladstone Club, Station Road, Northwich, and finished at the Pen Y Gwryd Hotel in Snowdonia, which is at the foot of Mount Snowdon and where Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay trained for the conquest of Mount Everest.

The cycling team included Fred Backhouse from Rudheath, who took part in a 24-hour pool marathon at Nectar’s wine bar in Lostock Gralam, also in aid of The Christie charity.

The pool and cycling events were inspired by the cancer battle being fought by Fred’s wife Sharon, who recently finished her treatment for breast cancer and has returned to work for Cheshire East Council at Knutsford.

Fred’s cycling team mates were Carl Hewson, Kevin Barry, Trevor Marshall, Adi Faulkner, Keiron O’Sullivan, Matty Hubert, Ian Duncalf and Andy Morley.

They were joined for part of the journey by Mike Green, Dave Southern, Mark Jervis, Danny Heath, Rob Newton, Lee Challinor and Nick Crank.

Money raised from the cycling and pool events, including the Fred and Friends Northwich to Snowdonia Cycle Challenge justgiving page, totalled £5,650 before Gift Aid.

“It is an amazing total, and we would like to thank all our family and friends and Nectars and the Slow and Easy Hotel for being so generous and supportive,” said Sharon.

“We would also like to thank Northwich Snooker League and Northwich and District Pool League for making generous donations to this worthy cause.”

Sharon’s wife Fred said: “The treatment, care and support Sharon received at The Christie Hospital for breast cancer has been excellent, and we wanted to do something to raise money for the breast cancer care unit as a thank you.”

Sharon’s dad Alan Dean raised £2,600 for The Christie in March when he, his wife Joan, cousin Dave Ryder and grand-daughter Gemma Backhouse walked from Northwich to the hospital.