Tough enough doing a 200 mile sponsored cycle ride, Steve Clark and Keith Smeltzer suddenly found themselves in bandit country.

Keith is Guisborough Town FC's secretary, Steve a committee member.

As Tuesday's column noted, they spent the four-day holiday weekend pedalling between all 21 grounds in the Albany Northern League first division.

Trouble was, they wore red and white stripes - club colours since its formation in 1973. When they reached Ashington, a top of the tree Magpies nest, some swift explaining was necessary.

"It was Sunday afternoon, they'd been drinking since breakfast time and were a bit fed up about the England result," said Keith.

"Immediately they took us to be the enemy."

Their appearance the following day in Langley Park, near Durham was greeted even more suspiciously.

"The landlord was so worried he was almost trying to hide us away," said Steve.

"Finally a bunch of lads demanded to know what Mackems were doing in their pub. When we explained they were fantastic and had a whip round, just as they had at Ashington."

The ride, equally to help club funds and the NSPCC, was inspired by film of the Tour de France and by rather a lot of draught Guinness.

Keith is a fairly frequent cyclist, principally downhill, Steve hadn't been on a bike for so long he had to borrow the bairn's.

"Like the Tour de France riders, we thought it seemed a good idea at the time," said Keith.

The column caught up with them on Monday evening at the incomparable Grey Horse in Consett. Since the only beds in town appeared to be at the YMCA, they were staying a couple of miles down the road.

"We're neither young nor Christian and after so long in the saddle I'm not sure we're even men any more. It seemed a bit hypocritical," said Steve.

The ride, about which there is nothing hypocritical whatever, hopes to raise £1,000.