Fire-fighters from HIAL are donning their cycling shorts for Children in Need this Friday 15 November. They have been challenged by instructors from the International Fire Training College in Teesside to cycle the distance between Inverness Airport and Teesside Airport.

The HIAL fire-fighters in Inverness and the instructors from Teesside will be on their exercise bikes in their respective locations until the distance is covered. Whichever team completes the 303 mile distance first will be the winners.

Both teams will start cycling at 8am on Friday 15 November and it is agreed that if the distance is not covered by 5pm on Friday, the winners will be the team that has covered the furthest distance.

John Rowley, leading fire-fighter at Inverness Airport, will be one of the team members pedalling furiously in Inverness Airport. He said: "Highlands and Islands Airports’ fire-fighters were challenged by the instructors from Teesside fire training college to cycle the distance between Inverness and Teesside and we accepted it with enthusiasm. We are determined to cycle the distance in the shortest time but although we are obviously all fit for our work, none of us have done any cycle training. Unfortunately, the only preparation the team have had for cycling is watching the Tour de France on Sky.

"We have already looked out our cycling shorts and are eager to get going. We hope passengers and friends at the airport will cheer us on, give generously and join in the fun on Friday and I’m sure the same will be true at Teesside Airport where the opposition will be pedalling against us."

The Inverness team consists of John Rowley, Sandy Matheson, Bruce Mitchell, Paul Rodden and Bob MacPhee. They will all be cycling for up to an hour at a time and will each fit in their turn around their individual working shifts. All the money raised will go to Children in Need and collections will be taken in the airport throughout the cycle challenge.

ENDS