A TRIO of Warrington Youth Club supporters are cycling 450 miles to raise money for a new youth facility.

The challenge will take the squad five days and money raised will help fund the new youth zone set to open in the town centre in 2020.

Taking up the challenge are club chair and managing director of Sharples Plc Mark Brocklehurst, long-standing supporter Nick Hopkinson, and Neil Tattersall, design manager of Woolston-based Britplas.

Leaving on October 21, the three men will start cycling from the most northerly OnSide Youth Zone in Carlisle to Legacy Youth Zone in Croydon.

Mark, 58, has been the chair of OnSide Warrington Youth Club/Zone since 2017 and has since built up an impressive list of charity events.

He said: "To do this by bike and raising money for each zone makes this a perfect use of my time and I am so excited to be doing the challenge with so many like-minded people.

"The highlight will be, without doubt, day two and three when we get to nine north west Youth Zones including our stop at the site of the new Warrington Youth Zone on Dallam Lane."

The new facility anticipates working with at 7,000 members from across the borough, offering them activities every day of the week with a state-of-the-art climbing wall, performing arts space, recording studio, skate park and its very own football pitch on top of the roof.

Nick, 59, who is currently recovering from cancer, is proud to be helping this youth zone become a reality.

He said: "It is my privilege to help young people.

"If people like us don’t get off our backsides and raise money doing things like this, who will?"

Britplas design manager Neil is completing the challenge as part of the company's commitment to the project.

The 45-year-old said: "As a founder patron of the new Onside Warrington Youth Zone, the company have made a formal commitment to support the amazing work of this charity over a number of years with staff actively encouraged to get involved in fundraising and other volunteering opportunities.

"Sore legs and a bit of discomfort are transient- this cause is for something a little more permanent.

"That’s got to be worth a bit of suffering, right?"

Along with the 12 other Onside Youth Zones, the team are also cycling a ‘virtual’ Tour de Youth Zone next week.

On Tuesday supporters and young people from Warrington Youth Club will be cycling their leg of the tour in the club gym facilities in Warrington town centre.

To help support this project visit virginmoneygiving.com.