THREE soldiers are in training to cycle 182 miles to help make a child smile.

The Green Howards, one from Durham and two from Middlesbrough, will cycle coast-to-coast for the Make a Child Smile charity.

Make a Child Smile, which is backed by radio station TFM, raises money for sick or underprivileged children in the region.

Sergeant Gary Armstrong, from Durham, and Lance Corporals Andrew Brook and Lee Rookes, will cycle from Workington, Cumbria, to Tynemouth this weekend.

Using mountain bikes supplied by Arthur Caygil Cycles of Richmond, North Yorkshire, they will ride both on and off-road and will spend Saturday night in Kielder Forest Youth Hostel before finishing the journey.

They will be supported by three of their comrades, Sgt Alan Haigh and L/Cpl Craig Hillary and by Corporal Brian Morrison, of the Royal Logistics Corps. All those taking part are members of the Army Youth Team, based at Catterick, North Yorkshire.

They run adventure training for young people at schools and colleges, to give them a taste of Army life.

"The whole team has regularly supported Make a Child Smile," said a Green Howards spokesman. "Last Christmas, they helped TFM collect toys for children from birth to 17-years-old who are sick or underprivileged."