STAFF at a car care and maintenance centre in Tavistock are this month sponsoring a charity horse ride across Dartmoor. 

Tavistock Tyres has donated £150 towards the cost of transporting the horses to and from the charity ride to raise money for the Bob Champion Cancer Trust, which will take place this Sunday.

Tim Schmid, manager of Tavistock Tyres, said: 'We know Allen Lewis, a former mounted policeman, who will be completing the ride, very well.

'The riders will be travelling 20 miles from the East Dart Hotel in Postbridge to Tavistock Association Football Club in Tavistock.'

Joining Allen on the ride will be farmers, David Crocker, Crispan Alford and Kenny Watson and Nurse, Mel Pengelly.

Grand National winning jockey and trainer Jimmy Frost will officially start the event and West Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox will meet the riders as they arrive in Tavistock.

The Bob Champion Cancer Trust aims to improve methods of detection and treatment of prostate, testicular and bladder cancers, to identify cancer genes, and ultimately to eradicate male cancers.

Sixty-one-year-old Bob was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1979. He battled with the disease and went on to win the 1981 Grand National on the outsider horse Aldaniti. In 1981 he was awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for his achievements and he set up the Bob Champion Cancer Trust in 1983.

 Allen said: 'I would like to say a big "thank you" to Tim and the team at Tavistock Tyres for sponsoring our ride. They always back my charity work and bonds with local businesses like this are great for community spirit.

'I will be riding a red bay mare called Mysterious Moment and I hope to arrive at Tavistock AFC by 2pm. Tavistock Ladies' Football team will be playing a match that day and I plan to ride on to the pitch for photographs when I have completed the trek.

'As well as raising funds for the trust, I also hope to raise awareness of the 60:60 Challenge, in which Bob will visit Britain's 60 racetracks in 60 days from Sunday, April 18 to raise £250,000 for the charity.'