CYCLISTS young and old have been congratulated by the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire for riding their way around the county to raise money for churches.

The Great Cycle Ride, an annual event, involves cyclists and walkers who are sponsored to visit as many churches as possible.

Half the money each participant raises goes to their church and the remaining half to the Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust, which gives grants to help with maintenance and repair of churches and chapels in the county.

This year 450 riders and 24 walkers took part in the event and raised a total of £38,000.

Among the participants were Gill Parkin, of Yatton Keynell, who pushed her husband in his wheelchair around four village churches and together they raised £343.

Half of the money will be used to restore the stone screen in Yatton Keynell church.

Mrs Parkin said: "The walk and our training beforehand was a good stimulant for us both. It was very much a team effort, with my husband encouraging me all the way and it was such an enjoyable experience."

Some of the other participants included Adrian Baker from Bremhill, Calne, who has been taking part for the past six years. He raised £992 this year, taking the total amount he has raised to over £4,500.

Prizes for the most churches visited went to Peter Head, who devised a route which took him to 73 churches for the second year running, clocking up 108 miles before getting back to his home church in Sutton Veny.

The best performances by a young person came from Mark Carter from Hardenhuish, Chippenham, who saw the inside of 44 churches.

The oldest cyclist was James Buckley, 80, of St Mary's, Marlborough, who visited 25 churches while the youngest was two-year-old Brooke Flynn of Market Lavington who visited ten churches on the back of his mum's bike.

This year the Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust has given more than £35,000 to 25 churches for repairs to roofs and stonework, flying buttresses, heating systems, toilets and a lych gate.

Next year's Great Cycle Ride takes place on Saturday September 14.