CRICKETERS swapped their bats for bikes and raised more than £3,000 for Bury Cancer Support Centre by cycling continuously for 24 hours.

During the gruelling challenge, 16 players from Elton Cricket Club collectively covered the equivalent distance of cycling from Bury to Russia, clocking up more than 3,000 miles on spinning bikes.

Participants included current first team and second team captains Andrew Donnelly and Phillip Donnelly, as well as former club professional Chris Read and former first team captains Ste Filkins and John Pemberton, the latter having travelled from his home in Birmingham to take part.

Former Radcliffe Cricket Club professional Phil Hayes and three female members of the club also got involved.

The event, which also included raffles, a cake stall and businesses sponsoring two-hour sessions, raised £3,030 in total.

More than 100 people came along to watch the ride, which started on the night of Friday March 20, and the whole 24-hour cycle was streamed online.

Chris Murray, one of the participants, said they had been made aware that it costs up to £10,000 a week to fund the cancer support centre.

He said: "We finished on Saturday evening with sore anatomies but a large sense of accomplishment.

"After the event, people who hadn't taken part but had watched our efforts where clamouring to sign up for the next time we take on some form of challenge for a local charity."