A group of radiographers from Macclesfield Hospital are taking on a mammoth cycling challenge in memory of a colleague’s son who died of bone cancer.

Abe Vincent, from the Ivy Farm estate, lost his battle with the disease earlier this year aged just 21.

A talented drummer, he hit the headlines when he joined a unique band made up of cancer patients, You 62, and recorded a charity single in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Now three friends who all work with Abe’s Mum Julie, who is a sonographer at Macclesfield Hospital, have decided to do their bit for tyeh Bone Cancer Research Turst and will cycle more than 200 miles from London to Paris in less than 24 hours.

Michael Calamanan, 44, from Macclesfield, Paul Fenton, 40, from Stockport and Marc Branson, 35, from Didsbury, will set off on Saturday, May 30, from London and are hoping to raise £5,000 between them.

Paul, whose mother died of cancer five years ago, said: “As it is so soon after Abe’s death we were a bit hesitant to talk to Julie about it but she was made-up with the idea.

“I think it helps with the grieving process doing something like this.

“We knew Abe had cancer and it was quite a shock when he went for a routine follow-up and they discovered the cancer had come back - it hit everyone in the department quite hard.

“Abe was very physically active and having to have his leg amputated in the prime of his life was cruel and had a really big impact. He was very involved in fundraising so we wanted to do something positive in his memory.”

From Westminster the trio will cycle 60 miles to Newhaven then catch the midnight ferry to Dieppe in France, from where they will then cycle more than 140 miles non-stop to Paris.

Paul said: “We have never done anything like this before though - it will be a massive challenge.”

A Just Giving page set up in Abe’s memory has raised almost £10,000 so far, a figure which the cycling challenge hopes to increase.

The team are appealing to businesses who could offer the loan of a minibus or camper van to act as a support vehicle to the cyclists or help in any other way.

Donations can be made via the Just Giving website for the challenge at www.justgiving.com/xray .