Manchester to Liverpool bike ride

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	[Photos: Mike Fryer, Sean Sutton / MAG]

In blistering heat, more than 1,500 people completed a 38-mile ride from Manchester to Liverpool in aid of MAG on 30 May.

Photo gallery here!

Generations from all over took part in the ride, with pensioners riding alongside children. Many people registered on the day itself, inspired by the glorious sunshine.

The keenest riders set off from Salford Quays at 8am, and began arriving at the finish line at Otterspool Park on the River Mersey as early as 9.45am.

As the sun rose higher, hundreds more completed the challenge. They were greeted by a field full of bodies and abandoned bicycles, as well as several ice cream vans and a jazz band.

Groups waiting for stragglers basked happily until everyone had finished, or tried out one of MAG’s metal detectors in the dummy minefield.

Wearing heavy protective equipment in the heat gave a realistic taste of the difficulties MAG’s demining teams face working all day in, for example, the heat of Africa, with the threat of real mines all around them.

MAG’s Events Officer Lesley Achim said: “The event was a huge success and we were thrilled with the numbers of riders, which far exceeded our expectations. I want to give a huge thanks to everyone who took part and raised money for MAG. We’re hoping this will become an annual event so watch out for it next year!”

As an incentive for riders raising money for MAG’s life-saving programmes, Edinburgh Cycle Co-operative kindly agreed to give a fantastic new bike worth £400 to whoever raised the most funds by 30 June.

The winner was Andy Wiggans, who raised an amazing £525.

Andy was 59 when he rode from Salford Quays to Otterspool Parkl, but turned 60 in June:


Andy with his new bike.

“I am trebly delighted by this news," he said. "Firstly because I was able to raise a lot of money to support MAG; secondly, because I have never won anything like this ever before; thirdly, because I will be able to take my new bike away with me when I go on a belated 60th birthday bike trip to Sardinia in late September. It will be much lighter than my current bike and easier to drag up the high mountains.”

Lesley Achim, MAG’s Events Officer, said: “We are really grateful to the Edinburgh Cycle Cooperative for donating the generous prize and to Andy for all his hard work raising all that life-saving cash and for taking part in the Manchester to Liverpool bike ride”

Fans of cycling who want to see the world fly by on two wheels while supporting MAG are urged to sign up for Cycle Vietnam to Cambodia in February 2010, or Cycle Somme to Flanders in July 2010.