A DAD is to cycle 60 miles to raise money for a leukaemia charity after his five-year-old daughter suffered with the disease for more than two years.

Alan Taylor, 43, of Chatburn Road, Clitheroe, is to take part in the Manchester to Blackpool bike ride on July 12 to raise vital funds for Leukaemia Research.

Mr Taylor’s daughter, Kate, was diagnosed with acute lympho-blastic leukaemia in February 2007, but was recently given the all-clear by doctors.

Now her dad wants to raise more than £1,000 for the charity by completing the gruelling challenge.

“It was an incredibly difficult time for the family when Kate was ill”, he said.

“It was two-and-a-half years of often intensive chemotherapy, spinal injections, and all sorts of treatment. We spent a lot of time back and forth to the hospital and it took a lot out of everyone.

“We have been to hell and back, but Kate was fantastic. She has been so brave.

“We came across the charity a few times and the work they do is fantastic.”

Mr Taylor’s two daughters, Kate, a Pendle Primary School pupil, and Charlotte, nine, will be at the finishing line in Blackpool waiting for dad to arrive.

He said: “I do a lot of mountain biking so I am quite active, but that doesn’t make it easy to start cycling on the roads.

“I’ve got to do a lot of training for it and make sure I will be fit enough for it.

“A nice cooling breeze on the day would make things a bit easier.

“Hopefully, I can do the ride in about five hours.”

Mr Taylor, an engineer, said he chose to do the ride because it was a more high-profile charity event that mountain biking.

He will be supported along the way by his cousin, Ben Blades, from Penrith, Cumbria, who is also raising money for Leukaemia Research.

If you would like to sponsor Alan’s ride, visit www.justgiving. com/bigataylor/