A GROUP of cricketers are pushing the boundaries for their annual fundraiser.

Nine lads from Kirkby Cricket Club volunteered to take part in the Coast 2 Coast bike ride, from Whitehaven to Tynemouth, covering 138 miles in three days, in aid of St Mary’s Hospice, Kirkby Community Centre and their club.

Self-confessed ‘non-cyclists’, the team consists of Paul Fugler, Rob Fugler, Mike Fugler, Alistair Bradley, Matthew Bruce, James Thornton, Mark Etchells, Mike Cairns and Mark Thompson.

They will leave from Whitehaven on October 12, covering up to 50 miles a day.

Their goal is to arrive in Tynemouth.

The picturesque route crosses the northern edge of the Lake District, then climbs into the dramatic landscapes of the northern Pennines.

Following the ancient fringes of Hadrian’s Wall, it then heads down to the coastline of the North East.

The team will be followed by a support bus manned by Paul Bradley, Paul New and Mike Etchells.

Dalton Motor Parts will be helping with transport too. They have also had sponsorship from Moorland Service Station at Kirkby-in-Furness.

Mike Fugler said: “We decided to choose something that would be challenging this year.

“We’ve been preparing by cycling and doing spin classes, and considering none of us are ‘athletes’, it’s still going to be pretty tough.

“We wanted to show our support for a local charity, as well as raise funds for our club and community, that’s why we have chosen St Mary’s”.

Area fundraiser Clare Tonkin, from the hospice, said: “At St Mary’s care is provided free of charge, but it is not cost free.

“Just to maintain our current services costs around £3.2 million a year, of which we have to raise more than £2.5 million from our supporters.

“We rely on people like the Kirkby Cricket lads to do challenging events like this and we are very grateful to them for all their efforts – they’re certainly going the extra mil.”

lVisit www.gofundme.com/kirkby-cc-coast-2-coast