Gas engineers get on their bikes for charity

Cycling the length of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal was a gas for Mick Armstrong and friends.

A six-strong group of gas engineers from United Utilities Pottery Fields House depot in Kidacre Street, Leeds took a break from maintaining the city’s gas network to jump on their bikes and complete the 130-mile ride raising funds for cancer and alzheimers charities along the way.

The challenge was organised by Mick Armstrong, 57, from Shipley and the group have raised more than £1,200 which they will split between the Cancer Research Campaign and the Alzheimer’s Association. They were joined by Mick’s brother John, 68, who was treated for cancer earlier this year.

Mick explained: “John and I did the bike ride last year before he got cancer. We used to see the mileage markers for Liverpool and wonder how long it would take us to do the whole thing. Although John was treated for cancer earlier this year, he has made such a good recovery that we decided to do it again. It was hard going but we all made it one piece without anyone falling in – it took us around 16 hours of cycling to complete.”

Mick and John were joined by Paul Turner from Guiseley, Nigel Winfield from Pudsey, gas apprentices Simon Fowler and Bradley Metcalfe from Garforth and Josh Hampshire from Armley.