THREE men are attempting to kayak from North Lancashire to London to raise money for Cancer Research UK in a mammoth 400 mile journey.

Starting on September 1, Clive Vick and Mike Roberts, both from Northamptonshire, and Alan Vidler, from Hastings, will kayak from Tewitfield on the Lancaster Canal.

The three men will kayak through rivers and canals in Preston, Manchester, Birmingham, Rugby, and Oxford, before finishing their odyssey at London’s Teddington Lock on October 1.

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While similar feats have been achieved, this has not been done unsupported before. Clive was keen to do it without support vans and boats, saying: “Staying in guest houses and hotels makes a bit of a mockery of it.”

The three men are attempting to raise £10,000 for Cancer Research UK. Clive is a cancer survivor himself, but insists the project is not about him: “I think at this point, everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer.

“It’s about trying to give something back. At the end of the day, no matter what anyone does it all has to go back to the scientists in the laboratories.”

Whilst all three members of the team have experience paddling, none of them have achieved a distance of 400 miles before.

“I think on the second week it’s gonna hit us, and then on the third it’ll hit us again,” he said.

Clive is not too worried about going on the trip without back up but says it will not be easy. “Carrying enough clothing and equipment for three/three-and-a-half weeks will be a challenge.

“We’ll be sleeping under tarpaulin because tents are too big to pack in the boats. It’s a bit Bear Grylls, but I refuse to eat any bugs!

To ensure the maximum donation goes towards Cancer Research, the trio will only survive on what they can carry in their kayaks, and camp on towpaths at the end of each day.

They plan to paddle 20 miles a day in order to complete the journey in three weeks.

Donations can be made to the just giving page, where Clive will be posting updates on the trip: justgiving.com/fundraising/kendaltolondon