A TEAM of keen cyclists from the New Era Fitness studios in Melksham have ridden around 160 miles for charity.

The nine-strong team led by DJ Hussey cycled from Big Ben in London to the Eiffel Tower in Paris to raise funds for the Wiltshire-based charity Splash, an independent charity originally set up by Wiltshire Police officers, which helps young people to positively participate in their communities.

He said: "It feels amazing to have completed the ride, everyone made it in one piece.

"We did have two punctures along the way, but apart from that everything went perfectly, the weather as we were coming into Paris was just incredible."

Their route took them from London to Newhaven, a distance of 56 miles, from where they caught the overnight ferry to Dieppe. On Day 2 they cycled 62 miles from Dieppe to Beauvais, and on Day 3 they cycled the remaining 46 miles to the Eiffel Tower in the centre of Paris.

The team have almost doubled their target and raised almost £4000 for Splash, which provides specifically designed and highly-structured, free, out of school activities for around 250 young people each year in Wiltshire.

More than 50 people train at the New Era Fitness Studios and the gym runs a Titan Boot Camp for keep-fit enthusiasts. Last year, a New Era Fitness team tackled the national Three Peaks Challenge, raising more than £4,500, and in 2015, they trekked coast to coast along Hadrian’s Wall, raising over £4,000.

If you wish to support the team with a donation, please go to their justgiving page at www.justgiving.com/titansvsparis