Firefighters prove their pedal power

A group of 13 firefighters successfully completed a 120-mile sponsored bike ride on Saturday.

The ride, dubbed University Challenged, took them from a starting point at Collingham Fire Station to Cambridge.

Most of the riders were from Collingham Fire Station and were joined by three from Newark and two from Tuxford.

They set off at 6.30am and, after a long day of steep hills and wet weather, eventually made their way to Cambridge city centre at about 5pm.

The group was accompanied by a van supplied by Enterprise Rent-a-Car.

They rode through villages and along country lanes before arriving for breakfast at The Green Man, Ropsley, which opened early to cater for them.

The halfway point was Peterborough Fire Station, where they stopped after riding for six hours.

The team kept their friends and family up-to-date throughout the day via social media, continuously posting on Collingham Fire Station’s Facebook page as they made their way down the country.

'I can't tell you how pleased I am'

It is expected that the team will more than double their target of raising £1,000 through their online donation page, which is open for another six weeks and currently shows a figure of about £1,700.

The money raised will be split between HUG, a project set up by Amy Everatt, of Langford, to help parents who have suffered the trauma of losing a baby; and the Firefighters Charity, which supports injured firefighters.

Amy said she was delighted at how well everyone had done.

“I can’t tell you how pleased I am,” she said.

Amy, who would eventually like to set up a charity, has a website containing links and information as well as a forum where parents can share their experiences of loss.

Collingham crew manager Max Sturman said there would be another ride next year, and planning would start after team members had decided on a route.

To contribute to the ongoing total go to the Collingham Fire Station page on Virgin Money Giving.