SADDLE sore cyclists supporting a toddler suffering with cystic fibrosis pedalled 174 miles from Coast to Coast to raise £6,000 for charity.

A team of eight bikers backing Jenson Byrne, including his granddad Brian Burn rode from Ravenglass, in Cumbria, to North Shields over two days.

Sixteen-month-old Jenson, of Shildon, County Durham, was born suffering from a distended stomach and a twisted bowel but these have been treated.

He then spent four weeks in the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, being treated for cystic fibrosis.

The youngster still attends the hospital every six weeks for treatment and he undergoes physiotherapy at home too.

The money raised by the cyclists will be split between the Cystic Fibrosis Trust UK and Macmillan Cancer Support, each will get £3,000.

The cyclists were Brian Burn, Graham Coley, Neil Franklin, John Haines, Ian McMahon, Ian Wickins, Kevin Wild and Peter Wild. Gary Scott provided back up in a van.

Victoria Byrne, 27, Jenson’s mother, said: “He spent four weeks in hospital and not many people thought he would go home.

“I am very pleased and very proud of the cyclists for taking part in the Coast to Coast ride.

“They collected sponsorship before they set off and when they stopped on the night during the ride they collected money in buckets at the pubs which they visited.”

Mrs Byrne and her husband Warren, of Elm Road, have organised fundraising activities for charity before.

They presented the money to the two charities at the Elm Road Working Men’s Club, in Shildon, today. (Saturday, October 19)