A team of 24 pupils and staff from Sedbergh School, including Headmaster Andrew Fleck, recorded the biggest distance in the weekend’s Blood Sweat and Gears cycle challenge, clocking up 1,000 miles and raising more than £1,000.

On static Wattbikes the teams cycled for 12 hours each day over four consecutive days, in an attempt to achieve the longest cumulative distance. Funds raised by the Blood Sweat and Gears challenge go to Phoenix House, the Help for Heroes recovery centre in Catterick Garrison.

Cyclists took to the Watt Bike for two-hour shifts.

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Director of Sport and Sedbergh Team organiser Stuart Oliver said: “Seeing how the team pulled together in such a short space of time was fantastic. No surprise though; pupils and staff are used to training together and there was a great air of camaraderie with regular visits from fellow pupils and teachers, and posts on Facebook and Twitter from Old Sedberghian Will Greenwood.

"Sedberghians – pupils and staff – love nothing more than a challenge and we went from £30 to £1,000 very quickly, with some generous donations from our school community. We are delighted to have raised the funds and had so much enjoyment from the challenge.”

The Sedbergh team competed against adult teams from PWS Distributors based in York station and Baltic Training based in Newcastle station; both businesses owned by Old Sedberghians Mark Stephenson and Freddie Peart.

Mark Stephenson, CEO of PWS and Old Sedberghian, said: “I am immensely proud of the Sedbergh students and staff who gave up their time to organise, train and take part in the Blood Sweat & Gears Watt-bike challenge. Congratulations to the cycling team who powered through the four days to beat PWS and Baltic Training. Youth clearly won the day in distance achieved, but it’s incredible what the three teams raised overall. All donations will go to Phoenix House, to support wellbeing and psychological programmes. The money raised from the Watt-bike challenge has helped us power through the £250,000 fundraising target and I hope we will be edging closer to reaching £300,000 soon.”

Blood Sweat and Gears is a demanding 360-mile cycle ride across the Western Cape of South Africa, which took place over six days at the end of April. The cycling team, led by Mark Stephenson, includes ex-world cup winning Rugby player Will Greenwood and two other Old Sedberghians, Freddie Peart and Oli Stephenson, who along with four injured veterans set out to raise £250,000 to help fund health and psychological wellbeing activities at Phoenix House.

They cycled from Franshhoek, just outside Cape Town, to Kynsna along a mountainous route that involves seven mountain passes and 22,000 feet of climbing.

The entire event is being underwritten by Mark Stephenson, which will ensure that every penny raised will go straight to the charity. Details on the event can be found on http://bloodsweatandgears.cc/news and donations can be made via www.justgiving.com/Sedbergh-School