TWO cycling pilgrims will stop in Blackburn as part of an 800-mile round trip to 17 of England's cathedrals.

Tim Morgan and Martin Cavender from Kent are making the exhausting journey on racing bikes to spread the word of prayer and to publicise the work of missions in the UK and overseas.

The men begin their pilgrimage in Rochester on April 29 before moving on through such places as Salisbury and Hereford.

They ride from Chester to Blackburn on Wednesday May 8 and arrive at 4.30pm to be welcomed by the Very Rev Christopher Armstrong, the Dean of Blackburn Cathedral.

After leaving Blackburn the following day they cycle north to Leeds and Sheffield before heading south to Peterborough and then St Paul's Cathedral in London.

They are due to arrive at their final destination of Canterbury Cathedral on Friday May 17.

Mr Morgan, an Area Co-Ordinator for the Church Mission Society, said: "I'm looking forward to visiting Blackburn. I just hope we don't get lost on the way."