Sheringham and Norwich bike riders set to embark on charity trip

Two friends are set to embark on a gruelling cycle challenge to help raise money for a life-saving charity.

Mike Padfield, 36, from Sheringham and Matt Charlton, 34, from Buckland Rise in Eaton, Norwich, are challenging themselves to a bike ride around the boundary of Norfolk over three days, approximately 200 miles, in a bid to raise funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) in the eastern region.

They will start their journey, from Lifeboat Plain in Sheringham, on Saturday, May 7 and aim to cycle around 70 miles a day, sleeping under the stars at night and carrying all their supplies with them.

During the journey they will be passing around the coast of Great Yarmouth and the south of Norwich as well as Kings Lynn before heading back to Sheringham.

Their aim is to raise �1,000, and have so far managed nearly half of that - raising �400.

Mr Padfield, who works as an ecologist, said: 'We will be sticking to the minor roads and hope to pass through as many villages as possible.

'My gran, Mary Radford, used to volunteer with the RNLI in Sheringham in the lifeboat house, so it is a cause which is close to our hearts.'

He says he and Matt, who works as a taxi driver, also hope there will be members of the Sheringham RNLI lifeboat crew to cheer them on when they set off on the Saturday.

Any donations to the cause can be made via www.justgiving.com/mike-padfield