HELICOPTER heroes are flying high after a £25,000 donation from the sale of a giant mural depicting some of cycling’s stars - with a further £25,000 going to a cycling charity.

Eight 2.5 metre square art pieces were commissioned by Harrogate-based interior design specialists the Stephen Neall Group as part of its celebrations to mark last year’s Grand Depart.

Created by artist James Straffon, the mural features legends of the sport including Wakefield’s Barry Hoban, Doncaster’s Tommy Simpson and Huddersfield’s Brian Robinson as well as modern day cycling icons Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish.

Stephen Neall, group creative director, and proprietor Stephen Gee decided to auction the mural with all proceeds split between the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and cycling charity The Dave Rayner Trust Fund.

Last summer, the pieces were mounted onto an outside wall of The Factory building in Harrogate, office and showroom for group company Poliform North.

The installation was bought by South Yorkshire-based Dransfield Properties for £50,000 – on the condition that each living cyclist depicted should sign their picture.

Ten months and nearly 1,800 miles later, Mr Neall completed the challenge with the signature of Belgian cycling icon Eddy Merckx.

“It was certainly a challenge, not just getting the agreement of each cyclist, but then finding a time and place when the pictures could be signed,” he said.

“I’m delighted we have been able to donate so much to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, a charity that provides such a vital service here in Yorkshire.”

YAA North Yorkshire fundraising manager Tony Doveston said: “We have worked closely with Stephen and Poliform North over a number of years.

“He is a fantastic supporter of the charity and we can’t thank him enough for this incredible donation.”