A GROUP of lads will be taking on an epic cycle ride in memory of a two-year-old who died from cancer.

Lily Gray died last September of the childhood cancer, neuroblastoma, aged just two years and three months.

On September 7 Lily's dad, Michael, and 11 other riders will cycle from Haddenham in Cambridgeshire to their home in Haddenham, Bucks.

The team of twelve riders and their three support crew are all from Haddenham and are nicknamed the Haddenham 100 as the route is nearly 100 miles.

Michael said: "Lily, our youngest daughter, was a happy thriving toddler who was part of the village community, including the local play groups, until she suddenly became ill at 18 months old. We knew from diagnosis that neuroblastoma is extremely hard to treat, but we always believed she would beat it. She remained a happy, loving and determined little girl throughout her treatment, trying to do all the normal things that little ones do."

"Lily responded well to her initial chemotherapy, to the operation to remove her tumour, to the gruelling high dose chemotherapy that followed and to her stem cell transplant. Unfortunately she relapsed before she completed the full treatment and died on the September 19, 2013. "Neuroblastoma is extremely aggressive and unpredictable and it’s now clear that only research is going to make a difference to those affected by it. We still know young children and their families who are trying to fight this cancer. People need to donate so research can be done to prevent the same thing happening to these and future families affected by this disease."

There will be a welcome back barbecue when they return.

Adam Richards-Gray, whose children used to play with Lily, said: "As good friends of Lily Gray’s family, we wanted to do something to contribute to the amazing efforts that they, and the wider community, have made to raise money for The Neuroblastoma Society in Lily’s memory. 

"The training has been rigorous, and we train as a group at least once a week, but we also try to do other sports to keep fit as well. It has been a great challenge already, fitting in training around work and family, but we are all determined to complete this challenge for Lily."

To support the Haddenham 100, visit www.justgiving.com/Haddenham100 or text HADD50 and an amount of £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10 to 70070.