ALMOST 400 cyclists of all ages came together on Sunday to get pedalling for a charity dedicated to helping people with serious and terminal illness - two weeks after the planned event was postponed.

The Iain Rennie Hospice at Home hopes supporters will have brought in around £35,000 in sponsorship at the third annual Chilterns Cycle Challenge - enough to fund a specialist nurse for more than a year.

The popular event with three different routes throughout the Chilterns countryside had been scheduled to take place on March 24 but snowy weather and icy roads meant the organisers made the decision to postpone until after Easter.

TV star Fern Britton had been set to launch and take part in the original event, but was unable to on Sunday. Riders set off from Aylesbury and pedalled their way around the Chilterns.

Event organiser Kerri Woodman said: "The weather was much kinder to us today: no snow, little wind and even some sunshine. Our 75-milers began their gruelling route in temperatures of just 4 degrees but finished from midday onwards in a much warmer 8 degrees.

"We were delighted that so many of our cyclists could make the new date." Most participants tackled the longer 35 mile and 75 mile routes. Younger cyclists from age 6 and upwards enjoyed the family-friendly route around the cycle paths of Aylesbury, where their 10K route took them through Watermead and Fairford Leys.

Kerri added: "We're so grateful for all the support from our cyclists and their sponsors, as well as our volunteer marshalls and corporate supporters.

"We receive less than 15 per cent of our annual running costs from the NHS so we really rely on the generosity of the general public to raise the £6.5 million we need each year to reach all the patients who need our care. "Thank you to the local community for rallying round to make this event happen - on the second attempt - and to our cyclists and their sponsors from further afield who have given so generously to support hospice care in Herts and Bucks."