CYCLE centre owner Stuart Rider completed a 200 mile non stop ride along the Leeds and Liverpool in under 24 hours.

Stuart and cycling colleagues Tim Crookes and teenager Ben Farrar set themselves the challenge to ride the towpath from Skipton to Liverpool and back again to raise money for BBC's Comic Relief Red Nose Day.

And so far, they have doubled their fundraising target with more than £1,150 already, with more donations still promised.

Stuart, owner of Riders Cycle Centre in Skipton, was also the only one of the three to complete the ride, which he completed in 23 hours.

Having set off from Skipton at 4pm on Red Nose Day, they reached Liverpool Docks in 11 and a half hours at 3.30am.

Ben managed a further ten miles before having to give up, while Tim went a little further and completed 125 miles.

Stuart continued the rest of the nine hour gruelling ride on his own to arrive home in Skipton at 3pm on the Saturday.

"Ben got to Liverpool and had done 110 miles when tiredness took over. He'd never ridden so far before and was falling asleep," said Stuart.

"Tim did 125 miles and that was the furthest ever he had ridden before too."

Conditions were very muddy along the towpath following rain and snow and the cyclists were also up against a strong headwind.

Donations can still be made via the website at

my.rednoseday.com/sponsor/Towpath200.