SADDLE-SORE staff from Asda's store, Colne, had the honour of crossing the "finishing line" in a national fund-raising bike ride aimed at raising money for a children's charity.

Eight members of staff got on their bikes and rode the 39 miles from Colne to the Asda store in Harrogate on the final leg of a nationwide relay around the company's chain of superstores.

The riders were waved off from Colne yesterday afternoon by the Mayor and Mayoress of Pendle, Councillor Gill Gilhespy and Mrs Ann Moulton.

The National Ride-a-Thon event raised money for the Nationwide Children's Hospice Foundation.

One of the Colne riders, deputy customer service manager Lesley Phillips, said: "It was great fun but the wind was really strong going over Blubberhouses which made it a bit hard going."

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