BOLTON soldier Danny Wilson will get on his bike today in a pedal-power bid to take a charity cancer appeal the length of Britain.

He is one of three Army cyclists from the First Battalion of the King's Regiment who are aiming to cycle 989 miles from Lands End to John O'Groats on mountain bikes.

The aim is to collect on route for the £25 million 'Christie's Against Cancer' campaign, to fund research and develop more effective and 'kinder' cancer treatments by the Manchester hospital's centenary in 2001.

The ride, backed by North West Water, Halfords and Science in Sport, is the idea of Colour Sgt Brian Harrison, 39, from Liverpool. He devised the idea in memory of his friend, Warrant Officer Nick Chakrabarty of Manchester, who was treated by Christie's for cancer of the pancreas until he died last year.

Private Wilson will be riding alongside Sgt Harrison and Sgt John Jones of Salford. Two civilians riding alongside them are Mark Nicholson of Penrith and Stuart Ainsworth, from Warrington, both employees of North West Water. Parent company United Utilities has pledged £1 million towards the appeal.

Along the way, when the group reaches Chester, the riders will be met by former professional cyclist Andy Wilkinson, of New Brighton, who in 1990 set the world record for the Lands End to John O'Groats ride at an amazing one day, 21 hours and 18 seconds.

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