A GROUP of intrepid cyclists braved icy conditions to take part in a 270-mile challenge.

The group of 10 cyclists had to battle through the treacherous weather as they rode from Scarborough to the Lake District in just four days.

It was the fifth year for the event, dubbed the Great Welsh Winter Ride and the cyclists have so far raised £3,500 for their chosen charity Scope.

They hope to raise £5,000 in total.

One of those taking part was Nick Unsworth, originally from Gwynfryn in Wrexham, who said the ride was much tougher because of the weather.

Nick, who now works in London, said: “It was tiring and some of the days we would be starting at 6am and not finishing until 9pm.

“On the third day we were cycling from the Yorkshire Dales to Penrith and the conditions were really tough.

“Lots of us fell off our bikes but nobody was seriously injured, just cuts and bruises.”

Nick and his friends have taken part in the four other rides and have cycled more than 1,000 miles altogether across Britain.

The group are all friends from Wrexham and decided to do the charity events following a “drunken” argument in a pub.

Their rides have raised more than £15,000 for charities such as Macmillan Cancer Relief, Help the Aged, Unicef and Oxfam.

This time the group chose Scope, the UK disability charity, because one of the cyclists involved has a family member with cerebral palsy.

Speaking about the experiences, Nick said: “I think it’s really good for all of us.

“We’re all of different levels – we’re not professional cyclists – but we all amazed ourselves how much we could do when everybody is determined.”

The ride began on December 28 at Scarborough and followed the coast up to Whitby and through the Yorkshire Moors National Park.

Day two was Northallerton to Otterburn and day three was Otterburn to Appleby-in-Westmorland.

The final day, New Year’s Eve, saw the group cycle from Appleby-in-Westmorland to Ulverston.

The group, Matthew Roberts, Daniel Mincham, Adam Thomas, Nick Unsworth, Matt Wright, Emily Fall, Chantel Vorres, Nicola Wright, Andrew Connelly and Fergus Malone, then saw in the New Year with friends and family in the Lake District.

To sponsor the group go to www.greatwelshwinterride.co.uk.