A GROUP of friends cycling the width of the country to raise money for charity are braving torrential weather conditions to reach their destination.

Alan Critchley, from Whitby, and his friends Chris Midgley, Mark Wharton and Mark Harrison set off on the 874-mile journey from Land’s End to John o’ Groats last Friday morning in their bid to raise funds for The Lymphoma Association and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

They reached Chester on Sunday evening, staying over at the Hilton-by-Doubletree hotel before resuming the trip, and had planned to use Monday as a ‘rest day’ but didn’t count on the heavy rainfall and flooding that hit the North West earlier this week.

Despite the elements putting them a few hours behind schedule, the brave group have soldiered on through torrential downpours, managing to reach Carlisle yesterday.

And they have already managed to smash their fundraising target of £20,000, bringing the current total to just under £23,000.

Alan’s wife Ronda said she was ‘incredibly proud’ of her husband and his friends.

“I’ve spoken to them and they are doing all right, although very wet, cold and tired,” she said.

“They were planning to class Monday as a rest day but the horrendous weather made it the worst day of the lot!”

The group is due to finish the trek on Friday. To donate, visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/MarkAlanChris.