Police in cycle marathon for cancer research

SIX detectives and a retired colleague from West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Inquiry Team are to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

A team of nine cyclists will set off on April 29, riding about 80 miles a day to reach their destination, hopefully, on May 11.

The distance by road is 874 miles and takes most cyclists 10 to 14 days, although in 2001 a rider completed the long-distance trek in 44 hours, four minutes.

The majority of the police team is based in Leeds, while the organiser, Det Insp Nick Wallen, is based at Eccleshill, Bradford, and community support officer Richard Baines is at Keighley.

All officers are undertaking the event in their own leave time.

All members involved in the ride have had experience of cancer and its indiscriminate and devastating effect on family members and friends.

The idea for the event came after the news that a close friend of one of the riders, a 41year-old woman with two young children, had been diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer.

A spokesman for the team said: “Since organising the event, the father of one of the riders has died from lung cancer. The father of one of the other riders has also been diagnosed with terminal cancer and a friend of another rider has also died leaving behind a husband and two young daughters.”

The nine riders who will tackle the route range in age from 54 to 34. There are two volunteers who will act as logistical support and drive the support vehicles.

The team is also seeking commercial sponsorship and help with logistics. Interested parties can contact them on 0113 2053031 or 0113 2053083.

The Homicide and Major Inquiry Team (HMIT) members are Det Con Andy Wilson, Det Con Dave Price, Det Insp Nick Wallen (the organiser), Det Sgt Gary Baines, Det Insp Lloyd Batley, and Det Con Ian Matthews.

The other team members are: West Yorkshire Police community support officer Richard Baines, who is acting as a support driver; Andy Carr, who is the brother-in-law of Nick Wallen; retired HMIT detective sergeant Phil Roberts and Peter Brook, who is the brother in law of Gary Baines.