MORE than 50 cyclists stopped off at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton during a 342-mile challenge to raise £50,000 for the Transplant Association.

Ronan and Nicki Walsh from the physiotherapy team at the Northallerton hospital were among those taking part in the four-day ride from Bristol to Newcastle.

The Transplant Association is a new charity set up by heart transplant patient Kevin Mashford to raise funds for NHS nurses to get training to become transplant specialists and to raise awareness of organ donation.

Kevin took part in the ride alongside a number of fellow transplant patients and their families and a range of health professionals who together formed Team Mash.

The riders had to face strong winds but nothing dampened their enthusiasm, especially on the final day when the physiotherapy team at the Friarage greeted them with refreshments and home-made cakes.

It was an emotional day for Nicki as she was cycling in memory of her dad who had undergone a double lung transplant.

“It was very hard going back to the Freeman Hospital but it is for a fantastic cause,” she said.

“We cycle to work every day so colleagues are used to seeing us on our bikes but we have never done anything like this before. We had to do a lot of training.”

Ronan added: “The ride was hard work but the two of us alone have raised more than £1,000 and the donations are still rolling in.

“The charity supports nursing staff at the Freeman Hospital which is the local transplant centre in our catchment area.”

For more details on the event visit www.team-mash.co.uk. To support Ronan and Nicki go to mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/ronanandnicki