On your marks - Shropshire schoolchildren in mass-cycling challenge for charity

More than 50 children from St Andrew's CE School, in Park Lane, Shifnal, got on their bikes to ride more than four miles distance from the school to the Apley Farm Shop in nearby Norton.

The ride was part of the K12 charity challenge, in which children spend a year doing challenges to raise money for a particular charity.

This year is the first that the challenge has taken place and the children are hoping to raise £1,000 for the Perry Group, which organises classes in horse riding for disabled people, to allow them to build an indoor training centre.

The group is currently based outside Shrewsbury but only has an outdoor centre, which means poor weather can force them to cancel lessons, causing upset for the riders who look forward to taking part.

The bike ride was organised by mum Natasha Branston, whose three children, 12-year-old Oliver, 10-year-old Tobias and eight-year-old Samuel have been biking 6.3 miles to and from St Andrew's School each day this week, leading up to the group cycle.

Samuel is still a pupil in year four at St Andrew's and the family bike each day from their home in Norton to drop him off, before returning home and then cycling back in the afternoon to collect him.

The elder boys are trying to total 100 miles cycled this week, while Samuel will cover 50 miles.

Mrs Branston said: "The Perry Group came in to speak to the children and they were very inspiring.

"The K12 challenge has been going really well so far, it is achievable, it's not just one day so it allows a lot of other people to get involved.

"We've managed to link up with lots of other sports groups like the Ironbridge Rowing Club and Travel Shropshire, who have given us lots of support.

"And all of the time we have been promoting sport and sustainable transport so it has been a very positive process.

"We have been really looking forward to the ride and there has been a huge buzz with such a big group of us travelling together. "

As well as the children, there were also 30 adults taking part in the ride, including representatives from the Shifnal Cycling Society.

"We're thrilled by the support we have had so far," added Mrs Branston.