TWO men from Tytherington have raised more than £3,000 for a testicular cancer charity after cycling for 24 hours in a pub.

Shane Hacker and Ben Vizard, took part in the monster ride from Friday, June 9 to Saturday, June 10 at the Swan Inn, Tytherington, raising the incredible sum for charity “It’s in the Bag”.

The pair came up with the idea only a month before the event, choosing the cause after their close friend Wayne Brooks was diagnosed with the life-threatening condition and received support from the charity.

Ben, who has suffered with multiple sclerosis for the past seven years, approached the event with some anxiety as he was unsure if could last the full 24 hours, but having his best friend at his side meant the momentum kept going.

Sponsorship forms in nearby shops began filling up quickly and the pair soon realised how much attention it had received, with friends and pub regulars joining in by guessing what the total mileage would be, and taking part in the raffle, with prizes donated by businesses from Thornbury and Chipping Sodbury.

Although Ben and Shane both ‘hit the wall’ at 6am with heavy legs, cramp and sore bums, they kept going after a short stretching break, and kept going all the way until the end, with the entire pub counting down the final 10 seconds, before being handed a pint of bright orange cider that vanished very quickly.

An incredible 873 miles between the pair, with a fantastic £1,600 raised on the night, with the rest coming from sponsorship money that is still being collected.

“We were completely exhausted by six in the morning and couldn't see the finish line for the cramps, but we powered on,” said Ben.

Shane added: “I had originally aimed for 300miles, and after five hours we were well over 100, so I knew we would smash our target, so we kept going.

“We are over the moon with how much support we've received from the village and friends.”

The pair thanked everyone who supported them, especially landlady Lillian Memia for hosting the event, as well as running the raffle.

“The support we had was overwhelming,” said Ben. “If nothing else I'd like to think it has got a few men checking themselves regularly.

To sponsor Ben and Shane for their efforts, visit www.itsinthebag.everydayhero.com/uk/kimberley