FIVE friends who spent four days in the saddle covered 400 miles to raise some £7,000 for a children’s charity.

Glyn Williams, Paul Burley, Shane Eve, Chris Fluck and Ben Robbins started at Fishguard in Pembrokeshire and finished at Broadstairs in Kent to raise money for Bobath Cymru which provides support for children with cerebral palsy and their families.

Mr Williams explained, at a Masons’ dinner in Chepstow, his desire to do a charity ride as his great grand niece has cerebral palsy.

That was at the start of this year. There followed 2,000 miles of training rides for the actual challenge earlier this month.

The first day started with their back wheels in the Irish Sea and finished 100 miles later in Bridgend.

Their spirits were lifted after a soggy start to day two when they arrived at the Bobath therapy centre in Cardiff where they were met by some of the children who benefit from it.

Later they met friends and family at the Beaufort Hotel in Chepstow where they had a light lunch before heading to Marlborough in Wiltshire.

They finished the third day in Ramsgate with an energy-sapping, one mile climb up a one-in-five hill to welcome them to the Kent town – and then to find their accommodation had been cancelled “without notice”.

The fourth day started with more hills but finished with a flat route along the coast to Broadstairs and a finish at Botany Bay just outside the town.

Paul said: “It was a truly memorable experience and although it wasn’t on my bucket list, it’s certainly one I’ll take off.”