Six friends from Hackney have completed an epic 1,000 mile cycle trip from London to Barcelona in two weeks, to raise money more than £15,000 for St Joseph’s Hospice.

Hackney Gazette: The team arrive in BarcelonaThe team arrive in Barcelona (Image: Archant)

Only one of the ‘Unlikely Lads’ as they dubbed themselves is an experienced cyclist, and the group were moved to take up the challenge after two of their friends and the mother of one of the six died in the last year.

Kien Selina said: “My dear mother Pamela Robinson passed away in June last year after losing her battle with cancer and I decided to do something not only in her memory but also a very dear friend of ours Melvin Carlton Roberts who sadly passed away in January last year at the tragically young age of 29, and Daniel Roberts, a great friend and keen cyclist who passed away in August 2011 aged 38.”

The six riders managed to escape their journey to the Catalan capital with only three punctures, one damaged wheel and some worn out brake pads.

Sean Hutchinson said: “It was long and tough, with some really high points and some low points too.

“But overall a great journey and the fact we were sponsored really helped, particularly every time one of us hit the wall.

“We’re all feeling a bit confused now about what to do next as we spent so long planning this.

“There’s a tinge of sadness that it’s all over, but we all feel really proud too.”

To sponsor the group in funding for the hospice in Mare Street go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=theunlikelylads&isTeam=true.