RURAL roads across the borough played host today (Sunday, 9 June) to the latest Thurrock Cycle Marathon, an event that is now more than three decades old and has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for great causes.

The annual event is organised by the Rotary Club of Mar Dyke Valley and its president Paul Luke, together with borough Mayor Cllr Kairen Raper, set around 200 riders on their way around either a seven mile course centred on Orsett and Stifford Clays, or a longerf route that stretched through Bulphan and North Ockendon.

All the riders who completed the course, including many groups who represented local good causes, received a medal, presented by either Mr Luke or Cllr Raper.

The event was supportedd by a number of local busineses including Decathlon at Lakeside who set up a technical and mechanical centre on site to check out riders' cycles and also donated a £100 voucher to a rider, picked out at random from all those who entered, The winner was Cheryl Martin, who was presented with her prize by Decathlon's local manager Tim Baxendale.

Many of the riders taking part were sponsored for individual good causes and, at an event to be held later this year, the Rotary Club of Mar Dyke Valley will share out proceeds from the event to a range of causes.