Last updated 11:55, Thursday, 11 September 2008

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CHARITY cyclists raised around £25,000 for good causes on the Tour de Furness.

The annual cycle ride, organised by Furness Rotary Club, was in aid of St Mary’s Hospice and other charities nominated by the 414 riders, who could choose between five, 12 and 50-mile routes.

Last year’s event raised around  but yesterday the organisers reckoned they were looking at a massive £25,000 total, with one entrant raising £1,900 himself.

Main organiser Bill Nickson said: “It’s been a super day and we’re looking at a total of around £25,000.

“We’ve had 414 riders and it was a fine morning. We were here at 6.30am and the first rider turned up at 7am. The first ones went out at 7.30am and the last ones left at 10.40am.”

The event began at Roose Conservative Club on Leece Lane and entrants who completed the route were awarded a certificate and commemorative mug.

Among the early finishers was a nine-strong team representing Millom Rotary Club, led by Michael Eady, which raised around £400.

Mr Eady said: “It was a very good ride and it was superb going along the coast road. “

The five-mile family fun route went to Rampside and back, while the 13-mile Tour de Furness took riders on the Rampside cycle path, along the coast road, through Leece and back to Barrow past Furness Abbey.

Meanwhile, the Furness 50 took the hardier riders along the coast road to Ulverston and along the A590 to Greenodd, up the eastern side of Coniston, through Coniston and Torver and back to Barrow through Lindal and Dalton.

The team which has raised the most money will be awarded the Bill Bartlett Memorial Trophy, in memory of the event’s founder, and cash for their chosen charity.

The individual and junior who raised the most sponsorship money will also receive donations to their charity.

Trophy winners will not be known until all the sponsorship money has been collected.