A TEAM of cyclists will be taking part in this year’s British Heart Foundation Dorset Bike Ride, in memory of popular Poole Borough Football Club player Shane Stanley.

The married father-of-three, who played for the non-league Poole club for a decade, died after a heart attack earlier this year.

His wife, Vikki, explained: “Shane was a fit and healthy 31-year-old who was very active playing football each week and recently ran the Bournemouth Marathon. Then on January 18 this year our lives changed forever when Shane suddenly collapsed and died.

“We later discovered that Shane had suffered a cardiac arrest due to an undetected heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This was a shock to us all as he had shown no symptoms before.”

Friends and Shane’s colleagues from Barclays have formed a team called ‘Stanley’s Red Devils’ to ride in his memory and raise awareness of heart disease.

The BHF Dorset Bike Ride is set for Sunday, April 27, starting and finishing at Queen Elizabeth’s School, Wimborne.

Event organiser Andy Coles said: “It is great to see teams like ‘Stanley’s Red Devils’ taking part in the Dorset Bike Ride and I wish them every luck with the ride.

“If you’d like to join them, there’s still time to sign up. There’s a choice of cycling 25, 50, 66 or 100 mile routes so there really is something for everyone to enjoy.

“Heart disease devastates too many lives, killing almost 80,000 a year, so it is vital that we all get behind the fight to find a breakthrough to eradicate this deadly disease and the misery it brings.”

To register call 0845 130 8663, visit bhf.org.uk/events or email events@bhf.org.uk