Morson Group Plc have again raised thousands of pounds for charity after its team of 26 riders successfully completed the 61 mile Manchester to Blackpool bike ride.

The ride, departing from Castlefield Basin in the centre of Manchester and culminating in Stanley Park, Blackpool, is the North West's premier cycling event and has been nicknamed the 'Tour de Lancashire.'

The Morson team was part of around 5,000 riders, ranging from club cyclists, to those dressed in drag, tandem riders and unicyclists.

It was an early start for all, in dry conditions with Manchester city centre resembling Beijing at rush hour, but that would change very quickly. After reaching the highest point of the ride at Haigh Hall, the participants believed that things would be easier from that point on but the heavens soon opened with hail, thunder and lightning. 

The weather conditions did not deter the riders however, who arrived in sunny Blackpool, with the earliest of the Morson team completing the journey in approximately 3 ½ hours.

It is estimated that the sponsorship money raised for this event will add £3,000 - £4,000 towards Morson Group Plc's £12,000 target for our nominated charities, the Wood Street Mission and Henshaws Society for the Blind, both based in Manchester.

Morson Group's Charity Committee would like to thank Delta Vehicle Hire and Easi Rent for the kind loan of their mini buses and vans to transport the participants and their bikes to the start, and back from Blackpool.

The riders couldn't have completed the ride without the support team and they would like to thank Jon Allday, Karen Bradley, Sue Jenkins, Frank Knight, Joanne McGowan & Gary Smithson for all their efforts.