A towering charity ride

A former British Army soldier is to cycle 600 miles from Paris to Blackpool to raise money to give terminally ill or sick children a dream day out.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Sep 2017, 15:14 BST
Updated 27th Sep 2017, 11:35 BST
Staff members from Blackpool Tower will cycling from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the Blackpool Tower to raise money for charity. L-R are Paul Hulley, Tony Harris, Phil Ratcliffe, Lucy Hodge and Helen Millington.Staff members from Blackpool Tower will cycling from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the Blackpool Tower to raise money for charity. L-R are Paul Hulley, Tony Harris, Phil Ratcliffe, Lucy Hodge and Helen Millington.
Staff members from Blackpool Tower will cycling from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the Blackpool Tower to raise money for charity. L-R are Paul Hulley, Tony Harris, Phil Ratcliffe, Lucy Hodge and Helen Millington.

Tony Harris, 41, works at The Blackpool Tower and with a team of five colleagues will embark on the gruelling journey which he hopes to complete in just six days.

Tony, who lives in Blackpool, was a Colour Sergeant in the Mercian Regiment for 20 years and completed tours of Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Iraq.

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The Tower 2 Tower challenge will be Tony’s first inter-continental cycle, although he has competed in triathlons and marathons in the past.

Tony and colleagues Lucy Hodge, Paul and Martin Hulley and Helen Millington will all be taking up the epic challenge to raise £10,000 for Merlin’s Magic Wand and Trinity Hospice on the Fylde Coast.

Phil Ratcliffe will accompany them on the trip as a driver.

Merlin’s Magic Wand is Merlin Entertainments Group’s own charity that raises funds worldwide to arrange magical days out for children and Trinity Hospice,based on Low Moor Road in Bispham, provides specialist palliative care.

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The team will start at the Eiffel Tower on Sunday and will make their way north through France, across the Channel and begin the gruelling journey from Dover back home.

Tony said: “We’re doing our own personal training and some long rides together to prepare for the challenge.

“We’ve done the Manchester to Blackpool ride and the Preston Peddlefest as a team.

“I can’t wait for the ride, it’s going to be tough but fun.”

To donate visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/blackpool2towerride

Related topics:Tony HarrisBlackpoolBritish ArmyParisBlackpool Tower