Cyclists take on challenging coast to coast ride for Morecambe Bay hospitals charity

Led by prolific charity supporter Ian Mercer, the Coronary Coasters completed their annual fundraising ride, generating £800 for cardiac care at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Ian said: “To get so many riders to the finish was a great achievement. The whole team were such nice people and a good laugh, which made it such a great cycling weekend and a huge success.”

Ian was inspired to raise funds for Lancaster’s Coronary Care Unit after losing three close family members – mother-in-law Audrey Ingle, uncle Tony Bowker and mum Margaret Mercer in 2007.

Since then he has been a tireless fundraiser for Bay Hospitals Charity and involved dozens of friends and family members in his adventures, raising tens of thousands of pounds.

Achievements include the annual coast to coast bike ride, four completions of the national three peaks challenge and cycling the length of the Pyrenees. He cycled from Land’s End to John o’Groats, stopping on the way to climb Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, completing the entire journey in less than five days.

And in 2012 he marked Olympic year by completing five challenges for the five Olympic rings – marathons in London, Lancaster and Windermere, the Yorkshire Three Peaks race and national Three Peaks.

Ian was supported in organising this year’s charity ride by his wife Angela and friends Dave Adair, Steve Mount, Jeanette Hancock and Russ Stephenson.

The group rode from Holy Island, Northumberland, to Morecambe, stopping overnight at Bailey Mill near Newcastleton, just north of the Scottish border.

Among the riders was Adrian Leather, a Non-Executive Director of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.

Adrian said: “It was fantastic to be part of this event, riding with a group of passionate and supportive people of mixed ability who managed to overcome the heat and the hills to make our way over the Pennines and complete the coastal cycle challenge back to Morecambe.

"The riders who organised the event and the dedicated support team who made it possible deserve the praise and credit for planning and ensuring we had a fun and safe ride."

To donate and support your local NHS hospital, contact Bay Hospitals Charity on 01524 516064 or visit www.bayhospitalscharity.org