SUPER Mario, a gorilla, a Mexican bandit and a dinosaur were among the fancy dress motorcyclists who rode Coast to Coast for charity.

In total 36 members of the Boundary 500 Motorcycle Group set off from Redcar Beacon early on Saturday morning to raise funds for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).

The group were waved off by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s deputy leader councillor Sheelagh Clarke as they set off on 50cc mopeds to travel 140 miles to Whitehaven Beacon, in Cumbria.

The charity’s founder and event organiser Brian Laverick said: “Last year we raised £40,000 during this event so hopefully we will be able to match that this year once all the sponsorship money has come in.

“Throughout the weekend we had great support from members of the public and every time we stopped for a break people would come over and put money in the donation bucket. Simply from that we raised £200.”

Since the charity was launched in June 2006 the group has raised £520,078 for the GNAAS and Zoe’s Place Children’s Hospice.

For further information about the group and its fundraising activities visit www.boundary500.co.uk