SIR Bobby Charlton will launch an international bike ride to raise money for The Children's Hospital's Appeal Trust in the North West. The launch will take place outside Royal Bolton Hospital Ambulance Station at 11am on March 30 with Jim Hall, the Land's End to John O' Groats foot and bike record holder. The actual 'Challenge for Children' bike ride will be from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea in Israel in February 1999.

Participants will ride approximately 250 miles, taking in the sites and history of Israel, while raising money for a worthy cause.

The money raised will be used to upgrade 100 Greater Manchester Ambulances, four of them based in the Bolton borough, with special equipment costing £8,500 which allows paramedics to monitor, more accurately, a child's life-signs on the way to hospital.

There is also a need for three more Intensive Care Ambulances for the North West area, each costing £120,000, which could save the lives of an extra 100 children per year.

Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman has also lent his support to the charity ride.

"I believe that this is a worthwhile cause which is helping to raise much needed funds for sick, life threatened babies and children in the North West region."

"Go on, get on your bike and have a go!" he said.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.