A CHARITY bike ride which raised thousands of pounds has saved the future of a centre for people suffering with multiple sclerosis.

The bike ride does not have a specific title but has been organised for the past four years by Paul Mackintosh and Chris Hugill, from Darlington.

Each year, the riders raise money for a different charity and have so far raised more than £16,000 for charities based on Teesside, where most of the riders are from.

Last year's race was in aid of the Multiple Sclerosis Centre in South Bank, near Redcar, because one of the riders, Stweart Hutchinson, suffers has the muscle wasting disease.

The race took place last September and more than 100 riders joined in the 30-mile ride around the Stokesley and Potto area and raised more than £4,400 for the centre.

And at a presentation on Tuesday evening, Alan Sharp, from the centre, said the money raised would buy a new deluge tank, which would save the future of the centre's main treatment therapy.

The centre has the North-East's only hyperbaric oxygen unit, which is a decompression chamber that is set at a pressure of about 24 feet below sea level. People sit in the chamber for an hour at a time and breathe in pure oxygen, which helps relax the muscles.

The deluge tank acts as a sprinker system in the event of an emergency and under health and safety guidelines, the chamber cannot operate without it.

The old tank had been in use since the centre was set up 16 years ago.