LEG pumping fundraisers stuck their heads down and their backsides up to boost Leigh Miners Rangers.

Two years ago a team of 12 representing the club raised £2,000 in a Rugby League Centenary Celebration ride from Huddersfield to Leigh.

On Saturday/Sunday they were on their bikes again in a new fundraising bid.

A team of 15 rode a 861-mile relay ride from Lands End to John o' Groats - without ever leaving their Manchester Road clubhouse.

Club social secretary Alf Ridyard, who was in the 1995 team which biked across the Pennines, and took part in the new challenge, said: "Townsend Cycles have donated two top-of-the-range bikes as prizes for correctly guessing how long it would take to cover the distance.

"The team rode relay non-stop on a fixed machine."

They were attempting to beat 24 hours - and completed the 'trip' in 23 hours 40 minutes and 4 seconds.

"It was tough," agreed Alf, who had particular praise for five U15s who rode through the night in short, energy-sapping bursts.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.