FOOTBALL stars and a TV broadcaster have teamed up with North Yorkshire fundraisers who are pedalling their way towards helping cancer sufferers.

A team of 60 women from across the county is planning to cycle from York to Amsterdam later this year in the hope of raising £30,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Members of the team got together yesterday to launch the event with a fitness session at the Roko Health Club in Clifton Moor, York, and were joined by a number of York City Football Club players and by Julia Bradbury, presenter of BBC consumer affairs programme Watchdog.

The team will be led on the 250-mile-route that takes them to Hull, Rotterdam and on to Amsterdam – and back again –- with the six-strong team of ride guides from CharityAdventure who organise the annual event.

Charity organiser Richard Cryer said: “This is a great event that pushes the team to dig deep in training, but we will also have plenty of fun along the way.

“We still have places available and would love to hear from anyone who fancies an amazing challenge.”

Laura Hambleton, of Marie Curie Cancer Care, who will also be taking part in the four-day cycling challenge from June 11, said: “We are so pleased to join up with CharityAdventure again to help us raise £30,000 for the local Marie Curie Cancer Care.

“This will be a great challenge for all the ladies involved and the incentive of raising the money will push each of us all the more in our training.

“Every £200 helps us provide another shift of nursing for people at the end of their lives in their own home- so please come and visit our website and sponsor us.” To sponsor the team visit justgiving.com/amsterdame10 or phone the Marie Curie fundraising office on (01904) 621000.