A GROUP of 11 friends from Kendal cycled nearly 300 miles in memory of their friend, raising £19,000 towards fighting blood cancer.

The lads rode from Trafalgar Square in London to the town's Parkside Road cemetery, in a commemoration of their friend Dan Johnson, who passed 10 years ago from leukaemia, aged 23 and to raise money for the Bloodwise charity.

The gruelling journey involved on average three, daily 100-mile stints, from Trafalgar Square to Leicester, to Manchester and finally to Kendal.

The cyclists were greeted with celebrations upon reaching the finish line and at their sold-out reception at Carus Green Golf Club, while receiving supportive messages, prize raffles and sponsorship throughout.

Dave Ferguson described how spirits were kept high throughout their testing journey through the community and camaraderie.

"The support from the community has been exceptional and helped push us through those 11-hour rides," he said. “We constantly had messages flooding in, even getting sponsorship for our bibs.

"But it was stubbornness to continue and refusal to let one another down that got us there on time.

“We would like to thank those who supported us and for the amazing work Bloodwise do. Our Justigiving page is still open to anyone who still wishes to make a donation.”

Daniel Johnson passed away in 2008 following a battle with leukaemia during which time he also had lymphoma. Annual events in Daniel’s memory have since raised £32,000 for charities chosen by his parents.

Bloodwise is a charity dedicated to beating blood cancer, a disease which claims more lives than breast or prostate cancer each year.

Donations can be made on https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising//cycle4dj