A group of novice cyclists made up of staff and parents from St Joan of Arc school in Rickmansworth set off this morning for a gruelling 250 mile cycle adventure.

The Road 2 Rouen will see Liam Lynch, Brian Reilly, James Simpson, Mark McLaughlin, Matthew Walsh, Paul D’Urso and Peter Sweeney ride to the city of Rouen in northern France and back in four days.

The challengers have already raised more than £5,000 for Udayan, a children’s home in Calcutta, India which currently houses 300 children.

They were waved off by pupils from the school on High Street this morning.

To donate please visit their Just Giving page http://www.justgiving.com/teams/Road2Rouen.