Whitchurch cricketers are saddle sore but triumphant after exceeding their target of riding the distance between all England’s test grounds in 48 hours – all without leaving Tavistock.

Whitchurch Wayfarers saddled up on static cycles in their clubhouse to travel 575 miles over the weekend, April 24-26, but in the end completed 1,000 miles and raised over £7,000 towards a new clubhouse extension.

Neil Tamblin, club spokesman, said: “It soon became clear the mileage would be reached ahead of schedule. Lots of keen players were averaging 20 miles per hour through the night and the initial target was reached by hour 28.

“Another 230 miles were added, from Lords back home, which was reached on Sunday morning, so a 1,000-miles was set – a tough ask, but achieved with help from the Whitchurch Inn. The weekend was a great success.”

The Whitchurch Wayfarers want to extend the clubhouse to create bigger changing rooms and a larger clubroom, which will cost them at least £80,000.