VIDEO: Mansfield and Ashfield cyclists raise £3,500 for Parkinson’s UK

Richard Candlin, Andrew Charles, Richard Eldridge, Alex Etches and Matt Halfpenny set off from Tower Bridge on Saturday morning, trailed by Mark Osborne in their support vehicle.

They soon had an unfortunate casualty as Andrew Charles was taken to hospital after a crash that saw him break his tibia and a bone in his ankle.

Undeterred, the other four riders battled through a heavy downpour to reach Newhaven by the evening ready for the ferry crossing to France.

And after a maximum of two hours’ sleep they landed in Dieppe and headed for Paris in the Sunday morning darkness.

After a hard day’s cycling the team reached the outskirts of Paris, where Alex Etches was forced to drop out with a knee injury.

That left just three, and they quickly fixed a flat tyre with the finish line in sight to reach their Eiffel Tower destination just before darkness fell.

“It took all our reserves of energy to make it to Paris, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and we’re delighted to have done our bit for a most worthwhile charity,” said Richard Eldridge.

The quintet of riders hope the figure raised for Parkinson’s will top £4,000 once all monies have been received.