DOZENS of Pewsey villagers gathered at the Co-op store on Saturday to wish two local friends the best of luck as they set off on a 2,000km charity cycle ride across Italy.

Ben Higham, 39, of Easton Royal, and Darren Tapper, 47, of Pewsey, were greeted by friends and family at the High Street store before their two-week long ride through mainland Italy and Sicily, to thank them for all their help in raising £10,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society.

The duo will set out from Brennero on the Austrian/Italian border on Friday where they will cycle between 100-130 miles a day before arriving in Trapani on the west coast of Sicily at the end of April.

Mr Higham said: "We are both really excited but also really apprehensive. They scenery should be spectacular and I think it will be an unforgettable trip.

"Our training has gone really well and it was lovely to receive such great support from locals who wished us the best of luck and we thanked them for their help, we are so grateful.

"My aunt Janet Carlson died five years ago at the tender age of 55 and she had alzheimers so thinking of her will spur me on more than anything.

"Some of the climbs will be daunting but with my mate Darren with me and our support team who will be driving behind us I am confident we can do this."

This is not the first big cycling challenge the painter and brick layer duo have done together as back in 2010 they completed a 1,600km cycle from John O’ Groats to Paris where they raised around £3,000 for the charity Children with Leukaemia.

To donate visit https://www.facebook.com/benandtucksitaliancycle/