BRIGHTON and Hove Albion’s official charity is recruiting fundraisers for its latest European cycle challenge.

Albion In The Community (AITC) is holding its fifth international charity bike ride and this year cyclists are heading from Brussels to the German city of Cologne.

The trip leaves the American Express Community Stadium on Thursday, June 7, with cyclists returning to the UK on Sunday, June 10.

American Express is once again sponsoring the event and a number of Amex employees are already signed up to take part.

Others confirmed for the fundraiser include Albion legends Guy Butters and Danny Cullip, who both now work for AITC.

The charity is now asking others to sign up for the 140-mile challenge.

Money raised by AITC’s annual European cycle challenge helps fund the charity’s many football sessions for people with a disability.

AITC now runs 30 of these sessions at venues across Sussex, regularly attended by upwards of 300 people.

These sessions, however, are expensive to deliver – costing between £1,800 and £5,000 year to run, meaning fundraising events like the European cycle challenge are vital.

Registration for the Cologne trip is just £299 per person and that includes full ride support, meals, a return flight from Cologne to London, water stops, a limited edition AITC cycle jersey, three nights’ accommodation, and transfer between destinations.

The group will leave the Amex Stadium on the Thursday afternoon before catching the Eurostar to Brussels.

The cycling then takes place over two days with an overnight stop in Aachen on Friday night.

Riders will arrive in Cologne on the Saturday, meaning they have part of Sunday to explore the 2,000-year-old city before meeting for transfers back to the UK.

For more information, an in-depth ride guide, or to book a place, you can email fundraising@albioninthecommunity.org.uk or call 01273 878246.