SEVEN friends will embark on a gruelling 150-mile round bike trek – with a mountain climb sandwiched in between for good measure – to raise funds for an Ellesmere Port dad-of-two who is fighting a life-limiting disease.

Stuart Booth, 40, Gerrard Hudson, 19, Gary Williams, 34, Mike Carr, 35, Matty Concannon, 34, Jody Devonside, 42, and Lee Cradduck, 37, who all live in the town, will set off on their epic journey at 2am on Saturday, May 29.

The group are aiming to raise £5,000 by cycling all the way to Snowdon, climbing to the summit, and then getting back on the saddle to make the return trip home.

The fundraiser is in aid of 41-year-old Chris Thurston – husband to Kate and dad to Joey and Isla – who has Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

He was diagnosed with the condition four years ago and sadly his physical abilities have deteriorated to the point where alterations are needed to the family home in order to improve his quality of life.

Unfortunately no grants or Government assistance is available to help with the cost of the work.

Stuart Booth, whose children attend the same school as Chris' son and daughter, said: "We wanted to take on an extremely tough challenge in the hope people recognise it as just that, so they're more willing to sponsor us.

"We’re doing it to try and help him out as much as we can – he has a young family and I can't even imagine what he’s going through.

"It’s hard enough to cope with day to day life as it is, never mind dealing with what’s going on in his life and then having to worry about money and how to pay for essential alterations to his house on top.

"I know Chris through football and my kids' school. His son also plays for the same football team as my nephew and has done for several years.

"We've done a few fundraisers in the last year and Woodlands – our kids' school – did a dance-a-thon to help raise money for Chris and his family.

"That’s when I found out he needed some help to raise funds to make alterations to his home, so here we are.

"I got the lads together and we’re now doing this challenge to help as much as we can.

"We've had a few companies that have sponsored us – Matt Finish, DHL, JR Webster’s and Mike Thelwell Flooring. Mike has offered to lay a ramp, free of charge, outside to help with access to his home."

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