Three cyclists are riding from London to Paris in aid of Action Medical Research and have already raised £5,000 for the charity (From This Is Local London)

Three cyclists are riding from London to Paris in aid of Action Medical Research and have already raised £5,000 for the charity

10:20am Friday 17th July 2009 in

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A TRIO of brave cyclists are dreaming of champagne on the Champs Elysee after undertaking a mammoth 380 mile journey from London to Paris that has already raised £5,000 for charity.

Woodford Green residents Nick Dey, 41, of Mornington Road, and Paul Shelley, 60, of High Elms, joins Charlie Bailiff, 34, of Buckingham Road, South Woodford, for the two-wheeled odyssey in aid of Action Medical Research.

Mr Shelly, a chartered surveyor, explained why they decided to support that particular cause.

The dad-of-two said: “Action Medical Research has been making medical breakthroughs for over 50 years – including helping develop the UK polio vaccine, ultrasound scanning in pregnancy and the hip replacement operation.

“At the moment focus is on the problem of the 50,000 premature births each year in the UK.

“Of these, 25 new born babies die each week. There are many other premature babies who survive but with various problems.”

The three adventurers set off on Wednesday and hope to arrive at the Eiffel Tower by Saturday afternoon - just in time to witness the final stage of this year's Tour de France roll into town.

Sainsbury's shift manager Mr Bailiff said: “We are all looking forward to this challenge.

“We have to ride 380 miles from city to city over four days crossing the channel from Portsmouth to St Malo.

“One day in France we will be riding 120 miles through Normandy which promises to be the hardest stage.”

Mr Dey, a science teacher at Snaresbrook's Forest School, added: “People have been very generous and between us we have raised over £5,000 for the charity. We are all keen cyclists and we have been training hard for this event”.

Click here to sponsor the team