Tireless fundraisers lapped up an endurance challenge to help an annual fundraising event to its best finish yet.

More than 300 riders slapped on the lycra and jumped on their bikes for the fifth annual Pedal in Preston Park in Brighton – the most that have ever competed.

Organisers say that almost £10,000 has already been raised for the Martlets Hospice and the Motor Neurone Disease Association and are hopeful that the final figure could even exceed £15,000.

Participants had been hoping to collectively complete 30,000 laps of the park’s velodrome on Saturday, the equivalent of all the way around the UK coastline.

But even the fact cyclists missed out on that achievement – although the 15,000 laps completed was another new record – could not dampen the spirit of the day.

Now in its fifth year, the event, supported by the Preston Park Youth Cycle Club, had raised £50,000 for its nominated charities before this year and was created by the family of Rachel Evans-Milne following her death aged 44 in 2009 from Motor Neurone Disease.

Rachel’s husband and event organiser Alistair Milne said: “The date is significant as the last weekend in October is very close to the anniversary of her passing so for us as a family it is a significant date and we think about her a lot leading up to Pedal.

“But we also know she would have loved the community event bringing people together to do something positive so it’s a poignant time but also a chance to celebrate her life through the event with something very positive.

“It feels like we are quite embedded in the local fundraising calendar now and we have very positive comments from people who say ‘see you next year’ so hopefully we will continue to go from strength to strength.”

Danny Dwyer, 20, was taking part in his second Pedal in Preston Park.

He said he got involved after seeing a Facebook post about fundraising for MND – the condition his father Liam was diagnosed with nine years ago.

He said: “I’m not sure how many laps I did, just as many as my legs would take really. It’s nice to do what I can to try and raise awareness and raise money for a great cause.

“It is difficult seeing my father with MND but as it has been over nine years and I was just 11 so as far as my memory serves that’s all I really remember although it is nice to have some memories of dad before.”

For more information, visit pedalinprestonpark.co.uk