A FAMILY from Reading travel to Dorset in September to take on the challenge of the Rotary Dorset Bike Ride.

The Beamish family, inspired by eight-year-old Libby, will take on the 22-mile route on Sunday September 6 from Longhorn's Camp Site at Wareham.

Lorraine and Steve Beamish have been coached by their daughter Libby over the last 18 months. They took their first bike ride last September, overnight from London to Brighton in memory of Lorraine's father who died from liver cancer at the age of 55, then searched for a ride Libby could take part in.

Lorraine said: “It was such a shock when Dad was diagnosed with cancer, he was never ill but started to take days off due to illness and once diagnosed, all we could do was care for him and the doctors could just give him pain relief, it was too late for treatment.”

Steve's uncle battled bowel cancer but died in March and the mother of a friend of Libby is fighting colon cancer, which made the youngster decide to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.

The ride offers a choice of eight routes between 10 and 108 miles and now in its fourth year, it looks set to reach the Rotary Dorset Bike Ride committees first milestone of raising £100,000.

Shelley Davies, Cancer Research UK’s senior local fundraising manager for Dorset said: “It’s great to talk to people like the Beamish family and see why they take part in this ride for Cancer Research UK. They have had some difficult times affected by cancer, but the future looks positive and funds like those raised by Libby and her parents help us to change the outlook of those affected by cancer.”

David King, of the Wareham Rotary Club, said “We have really increased the support for our riders this year, particularly aiding those who are fundraising for us with better online facilities and fundraising packs to give them lots of ideas to help raise money for research to help beat cancer sooner, however finding sponsors for the ride is not compulsory."

To support the Beamish family go to justgiving.com/TeamBeamish2015 or to enter the ride visit dorset-bike-ride.co.uk.