A PEDALLING peloton is calling on another 300 cyclists to join the annual Big Bike Ride from Westminster to Islip.

Villagers in Islip want to enlist riders old and young to sign up to the event being held for the third time to help raise a target of £10,000 for charity.

The 65-mile Big Bike Ride, plus two smaller routes, will be staged on Sunday May 7 and symbolises the link between the birth place of Edward the Confessor and the Abbey he founded.

Big Bike Ride project organising committee member Dr Peter Collins said: "This bike ride is a real community partnership and we hope that it will be a fantastic day with lots of people from the village and beyond involved.

"We are looking for lots more riders to sign up and for volunteers to help on the day."

The Big Ride will take riders past sights such as Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Grand Union Canal, through the Chilterns and on to Thame and Islip.

The other routes include the Nearly There ride which is about 18 miles from Thame Market Square to Islip.

Then the children's route Tykes and Trikes is a short ride in the village and includes a decorate your bike competition.

The event is being supported by estate agents Breckon and Breckon and Isis Removals and Storage based in Oxford.

Breckon and Breckon managing director Keith Stacey said: "This year we will be entering our own team of riders, so we feel even more integrated with the event and the community.

"It is great to see that what started as an ambitious village event has grown into an opportunity for many other charities to raise money through sponsorship of their own supporters."

Money from the event will go to Friends of Dr South's School and St Nicholas Church, plus riders who will raise money for their own chosen charities.

For more details see islipbigbikeride.com