THREE cyclists raised more than £1,500 for a charity which helped one of their sons to flourish.

Friends Gary Waldock, Darren King and John Nellis completed a 90-mile bike ride to raise funds for the Education Centre for Children with Down Syndrome, based in Newton Aycliffe and Hexham.

The charity has helped Mr Waldock’s four-year-old son, Jack, who has Down Syndrome.

Jack attended weekly sessions runs by the ECCDS from aged two until he started school in September and now attends a fortnightly group on a Saturday morning.

The cycling trio nicknamed their event CC2CC as it left Mr Waldock’s home in Crawford Close, Bishop Auckland and followed a 90-mile circular route through Consett, Newcastle, South Shields, Sunderland, Chester-le-Street and Spennymoor.

Mr Waldock said: “The amount of money we have raised is fantastic.

“It is absolutely brilliant.

"The group has brought really brought Jack on."

He particularly thanked the three individual staff members from McDonalds, Tesco and Morrisons, in Bishop Auckland, who took sponsor forms and raised sponsorship from their own families and around the town centre.

Mr King added: “It was a long ride but it was worth it to raise that amount of money for such a good cause.”

Maggie Hart, who runs the ECCDS, expressed her delight at the fundraising and said: “All that funding will help us to continue offering the services which we currently provide.

“It has caused a lot of excitement.”