Wayne joins Lions stars on bike trek

Wayne Hayhurst, from Fleetwood, took part in this years Prostate Cancer UK Football to Amsterdam cycling challenge to support the leading men’s health charity’s fight against a disease that kills one man every hour.

Wayne’s attempt to cycle from London to Amsterdam ‘kicked-off’ at the Olympic Park’s Velodrome in the capital on Friday . A week before England embark on their Euro 16 campaign former Three Lions players Luther Blissett, Terry Butcher and Viv Anderson each led a pack from London, Barnsley FC’s Oakwell Stadium and Ipswich Town’s Portman Road ground as 350 riders embarked on the 145 mile mission to reach Amsterdam.

The League One club’s first team supported the challenge by recently raising £410 and Wayne was hoping to do as well as the last representative,Town’s popular front of house security staff member Tony Barlow who was crowned the highest fund-raiser for raising well over £3,500 in 2015.

And the truck driver says his time behind the wheel prepared him for what to expect.

Speaking before setting off, he said: “I’m absolutely buzzing to represent Fleetwood. My mate Tony did it last year and he obviously raised the most money so I hope to do as well as him.

“Each rider has to raise a £1,000 so that’s our target.

“I started training for the ride back in January and I’ve just got the bug now, I love it. It’d be great if the supporters of Fleetwood could get behind me. The first part of the ride is meant to be the hardest as it’s 89 miles up the A12. I’m a truck driver so I know first hand that it’s hilly over those roads.”

The £500,000 raised will help ‘shift the science’ and crack the three core issues of diagnosis, treatment and prevention which have been left unsolved for too long. It will also help provide support and information to those affected.

James Beeby, Director of Fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “We’re delighted that Wayne has decided to join the fight against prostate cancer and ride to raise funds.”