FOUR cricket-mad cousins are planning a special delivery when they take part in an epic Jeep adventure across India for charity.

Not content with raising almost £10,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust during the seven-day drive from Delhi to Goa, the team are also taking cricket shirts with them to pass on to schools and orphanages along the way.

So far, they have collected 88 tops to hand out during overnight stops on the 2,500 kilometre road trip and are hoping for more before they set off on January 13.

Team member Steven Parker, from Shotley Bridge in County Durham, said: “We thought while we were there, we would try to do something to help local children.

“On our journey we’re going to be stopping seven nights in seven different towns or cities, so we decided we would call into a school or orphanage in each one and give them some cricket shirts we had collected”.

Mr Parker and cousins Derek Barsby and Steven Clark, both from Consett, and Keith McGinn, from Kent, began raising money for cancer charities following the death of Mr Clark’s father Peter in June 2013.

For several years, the four staged an annual cricket match between a Shotley Bridge Cricket Club over 40s side and a Consett Rugby Club XI playing for the Peter Clark Memorial Trophy, to raise funds for Willow Burn Hospice and Macmillan. This year’s event raised £800 for the two charities.

Mr Parker, a 45-year-old postman, said: “It was great, we held the cricket match for three years and raised hundreds of pounds every year.

“This year, we thought we would do something different to try to bring in even more money.”

Inspired by Stephen Sutton, who raised millions of pounds for cancer charity in his final days, the four cousins signed up for the daunting drive through the cities and deserts of India hoping to raise up to £4,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The Cricketers United team will be one of 30 jeeps taking part in the challenge.

Mr Parker said: “We thought we would hopefully raise about £1,000 each and we thought that would be a struggle, but lots of people have come forward to help”. and, six months later, we have now raised nearly £10,000 between us. The money has come flying in.

“We aren’t really sure what to expect, but hopefully it will be a lot of fun and we will raise a lot of money for a good cause along the way.”