Yorkshire fell runners to take on coast-to-coast challenge - as a panto horse on a tandem

And before friends Jonathan Binney and Lee Bilbrough realised what was going on, they were committed to a coast-to-coast challenge with a difference.

Travelling from a Lancashire beach to a Yorkshire beach might be hard enough anyway but these pals are doing it on a tandem and dressed as pantomime horses.

But they hope to succeed in the event next month and raise money for a worthy cause in the process.

They have form, as the bookmakers might put it. They did a charity run at Wetherby Races in April but they admit the Blackpool to Scarborough event might be a little more challenging.

The Panto Pony’s Pier-2-Pier – and World Record Attempt – will take place on July 20-21 in an effort to support the invaluable work of the Sue Ryder Organisation.

Mr Binney and Mr Bilbrough should be fit enough to make it. After all they are fell runners from Oakworth, Keighley, have set themselves the challenge of riding a tandem bike, dressed as a pantomime horse, from coast to coast.

The challenge the pair are undertaking will begin with the back wheel of their tandem in the sea at Blackpool and, after a gruelling 167 miles crossing the Pennines and Yorkshire Wolds, will finish with their front wheel in the sea at Scarborough.

The challenge has been christened ‘The Pier-2-Pier by Panto Pony Challenge’ during which the pair are planning to set a new World Record for the fastest 100 miles ridden by a pantomime horse on a tandem. They hope the record will be verified by Guiness World Records and hopefully secure them place in the 2025 edition of the Guiness Book of World Records.

Mr Binney said: “We might have to swap seats occasionally as only the guy at the front can see where we are going, but Lee and I are determined to ride all the way.”

He jokes that their steed is “trusty rather than rusty" but what better way to start and end the challenge than with a dip of hooves in both the Irish and the North Sea.

Mr Bilbrough said: “Jonathan and I started our Pantomime Horse journey competing in the now famous Mascot Gold Cup at Wetherby Races where we were best in show in 2022 and winners in 2023.”

It was a coveted title which they tried to defend on April 28 but they were so handicapped they finished “well down the field”.

He added that: “Our appearance as Panto Pony in various Fell Races, Oxenhope Straw Race, galas and other local events has just grown its pedigree, but this challenge is going to be the Grand National of them all.”

The pair hope to raise as much money as possible for Sue Ryder’s Manorlands hospice at Oxenhope which is close to their hearts.

For further details, visit the fundraisers on Instagram or Facebook by searching for “pier2pierpantopony”.