FOUR North-Easterners are competing in a stage of the Tour de France - to raise money for heart care.
Intrepid John Chisholm, Peter O'Neill and Paul Willetts, from South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust, and Sunderland University lecturer John Moses plan to cycle 144 kilometres through the Pyrenees in July, ending up at the ski resort of Luz-Ardiden, which is 1,715 metres above sea level.
They hope to raise cash for South Cleveland Hospital's Heart Fund.
Mr Willetts said: "The biggest problem is the climate. You are cycling in 90 to 100 degrees heat in the valleys, then hitting the mountains with snow on the top. But we're looking forward to the event and it is for a very worthy cause.''
The team have received help from Westbrook Cycles, of Stokesley.
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