Friends get on their bikes to help charity

A group of four friends raised almost £2,000 for Cancer Research after cycling 130km in one day

A GROUP of friends whose families are living with cancer have raised more than £1,000 for Cancer Research by cycling 130km from Bristol to Newbury in one day.

Sisters Lauren and Rowanne Prater of Denton Close, Thatcham, and North Brook Street, Newbury, were joined by friends Laura Swiatek of Collaroy Glen, Cold Ash, and her fiancé, Ian Dickson, for the ride along the Kennet and Avon Canal tow path on April 2, which took twelve hours.

The group smashed their £750 target by raising £1,878.00 for Cancer Research, a charity close to their hearts because the Prater sisters' mother, Karen, was diagnosed with cancer two-and-a-half years ago, and Miss Swiatek's father, Tony, is also living with cancer.

Lauren Prater, aged 23, said: “The ride was one of the toughest things we have ever done, and at some points it felt like we had so far to go that we would never make it back to Newbury, but all the way along the ride the thought of what we were doing this for really motivated and pushed us to pedal faster.”