ON the day the Tour de France finished in Paris, 300 amateur cyclists participated in a fun ride to raise money for cancer research.

Although the difference in class between riders in Le Tour and those who gathered at Lydiard Country Park is obvious, the realities of life are not a million miles away.

The overall winner of this year's Tour de France, Lance Armstrong, battled against testicular cancer a disease that at one stage was so far advanced medics held no hope for him.

But the cyclist became the first American to win the race five times on Sunday at the same time as riders in the Swindon Cycle for Life had completed their 16-mile ride.

Armstrong is an ambassador for cancer research and would have approved of what the 300 men, women and children achieved on Sunday.

One participant was Swindon councillor Glenn Smith (Con, Covingham and Nythe), whose father died of cancer.

Mr Smith, 26, who had rushed back from a stag weekend in Bristol to take part in the event, said: "My dad died of cancer and my mum had breast cancer so this is a really important event for me to support.

"I took part last year and was more than happy to have a go again this year plus it also gives me the chance to lose a bit of weight."

The annual event has become something of a tribute for the many people who have lost friends and relatives to cancer to put something back by raising money for research.

The Swindon ride is one of 18 such events across the country sponsorship money will be used to fund vital research into effective treatments for cancers like lung, prostate and testicular, which are common in men.

Organisers hope Sunday's 16-mile ride, which took participants through Hook, Lydiard and out to Minety and Braydon Manor, will raise around £20,000 for research.

Deborah Castle, 36 and her daughter, Georgie, 11, from Stratton also took part.

Mrs Castle, who works for Zurich Financial Services, said: "Both my dad and stepdad died of cancer and I wanted to participate to help raise money for research.

"I did the Race for Life earlier this year and cycle all the time. Georgie is here to give me some moral support."

After the torrential rain of Saturday afternoon the weather cleared and spectators and well-wishers turned out in their droves to cheer the cyclists on.

Friends Emma Harding, 22 of Freshbrook and Louise Westlake, 23, of Hackney in London, also took part. Emma said: "I've done the Cycle for Life before and I think it's such a great cause although getting up so early on a Sunday morning was hard."

Of the 132,000 men diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK some 80,000 will die of the disease.

Toby Fielder, 28, the organiser of the Swindon Cycle for Life, said: "The turnout was absolutely fantastic much more than last year and because of that more money will go directly to help with research into cancer treatments."