STUDENTS from the Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron (YUAS) swapped planes for bikes to raise money for their favourite charities.

The 17 members of the squadron, which is based at RAF Church Fenton near Tadcaster, rode non-stop for 24 hours to complete the coast-to-coast route, generating £1,500 along the way for the RAF Benevolent Fund, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, and the Cavendish Centre for Cancer Care, in Sheffield.

The route begins at Workington in Cumbria, and ends 144 miles later at Roker pier, Sunderland. Most riders complete the trip in four days, stopping overnight on the way.

But Officer Cadet Dave Robertshaw said his team wanted to see if they could do it in a quarter of that time.

They did, crossing the finishing line with only six minutes to spare.

"It was a gruelling trip across the Pennines, but the event was a complete success," said Officer Cadet Robertshaw.

"It was a tough 24 hours, but definitely a great experience. One of the highlights was an ascent of Hartside summit, near Penrith, a climb of almost 2,000 feet.

"We raced the sun down as we were climbing it. When we got to the top it had almost set - the views were phenomenal."

The riders took a brief break every couple of hours. Top of their wish list was jam sandwiches, provide by the support team.