Students in 1,100-mile bike epic for hospital charity

The team of seven will leave Sheffield on Monday, August 2, on the epic 16-day ride.

Their route is planned to take them down to the south coast of England and through France, before crossing into Spain.

Third-year student Tom Hext, who has just completed a degree in English language and sociology, said: "This will be a life-changing experience for every single one of us and a perfect end to what has been a wonderful university experience.

"We all feel that we would like to give something back to a city that has given us so much and the Children's Hospital is the perfect charity to represent this.

"We are really keen to smash our fundraising target and hope as many people as possible can support this challenge for such a worthy local cause."

During the last few months the students have organised a number of events to reach their fundraising target of 5,000 for the Children's Hospital Charity.

They have already reached 2,700 but are hoping to smash the 3,000 target before they set off on the ride.

All money raised will go to the charity as team members intend to fund the equipment costs themselves.

They have also followed a rigorous training programme in preparation for their journey, which has seen them covering up to 70 miles a day.

The charity's fundraiser Fundraiser Cheryl Ridgesaid: "We are extremely grateful to the students for taking on such a demanding challenge on our behalf and would like to wish them the best of luck with the ride.

"The money raised by the group will make a real difference to the lives of our young patients and will help our hospital remain at the very forefront of paediatric care."