TWO fell runners from Oakworth have completed a gruelling coast-to-coast tandem bike ride – dressed as a panto pony.
Jonathan Binney and Lee Bilbrough rode the 167 miles from Blackpool to Scarborough over two days.
They finished the energy-draining challenge, which was to raise funds for Manorlands, in 17 hours.
"We set off from Blackpool just after 10am on the Saturday," says Jonathan.
"It was a hot, tough day riding to Oxenhope, with lots of hills to negotiate.
"We finished that leg at Manorlands at 5.30pm – to great applause from friends, family supporters and hospice staff."
The duo set off at 6am the following day for the second stretch of the journey, covering the remaining 100 miles to Scarborough.
"With setting off early it was a little cooler and that helped us get some miles in – onto the canal at Shipley and then into Leeds," says Jonathan. "We made good progress.
"We then followed the route through to Tadcaster, York and Malton and then hit a headwind on the final 15 miles into Scarborough!
"The final section – uphill into the headwind, whilst getting increasingly hot in the costume – was hard, but with the smell of the sea air we had one last push and arrived on the beach at 4.30pm. Friends, family and supporters were cheering as we went down the beach and into the sea!".
The challenge has raised more than £8,700 for the Sue Ryder hospice, and donations can still be made at justgiving.com/page/pantopony
Jonathan adds: "At the moment we are just under our target of raising £10,000, but we hope that with donations still coming in we'll meet it.
"It was definitely a long, hard and hot two days, but it was great to complete the challenge – and the support from our friends and family, and passers-by along the way, made it so much easier at the toughest times."
Jonathan and Lee had become a familiar sight around the area in their panto pony costume in the run-up to the venture, which was labelled the Pier-2-Pier by Panto Pony Challenge.
Lee said: "Jonathan and I started our pantomime horse journey competing in the now-famous Sue Ryder Mascot Gold Cup at Wetherby racecourse.
"Our appearances as panto pony in various fell races, Oxenhope Straw Race, galas and other local events grew in pedigree, but this challenge was the Grand National of them all!"
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