FIVE friends from a Yorkshire Dales village are preparing to tackle a fundraising 100 mile bike ride – but will first conquer the Yorkshire Three Peaks on foot, all in 24 hours.

The challenge was set earlier this year by Dave Moore, of West Burton, Wensleydale, who wanted to give back to cancer support charity Macmillan following a friend’s battle with breast cancer.

Liz Ashford, also from West Burton, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, went through a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy before spending 2015 recuperating and undergoing reconstructive breast surgery earlier this month.

The Lumps and Bumps Challenge was taken on by Chris Taplin, Dan Liddy, Mick Poulter, Andrew Hawkins and Mr Moore – and the group will set off tonight (Friday) at midnight, and aim to have completed the three peaks of Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent by 9.30am on Saturday.

From there, the group will have breakfast and get changed in Horton, near the base of Pen-y-ghent, and set off on a 100 mile bike ride to Settle, Skipton, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Masham, before heading home to West Burton.

Mr Taplin said: “We have been training really hard for this challenge – we have done two peaks plus a 50 mile bike ride, and an 80 mile bike ride, but we haven’t put it all together yet.

“It will be tough but we are looking forward to it. I only moved to the village a couple of years ago so it has been great to make new friends. It was really been a community project with everyone getting behind us, and there will be a village party for our return on Sunday with bands and a barbecue.”

The team is raising money for Macmillan Cancer Care, Great North Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Low Mill Outdoor Centre in Askrigg.

The target of £5,000 has almost been reached and hopefully exceeded when the team arrives back in West Burton on Saturday evening for the finishing line party.

The party is a free event supported by the Fox and Hounds Inn and will feature two local bands - Broken Biscuit and The Spirit Levellers.

Ms Ashford said: “The cancer was found after a routine mammogram test – luckily it was stage one when they found it but it had progressed to stage two by the time I had my operation which was very scary."

To sponsor the group visit Facebook group, Lumps and Bumps Challenge 2016 or email lumpsandbumps2016@gmail.com.