A NORTH-EAST dairy raised £45,976 for the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity with a 300-mile bicycle ride.

A team from Hanover Dairies rode from Kielder Water in Northumberland to the trust's headquarters in Leatherhead, Surrey.

Trevor Hanover, founder and owner of the dairy, presented the cheque at Newcastle Quayside to Hannah Petheram, the trust's northern manager, alongside management and staff from its Sunderland office.

The Rainbow Trust supports terminally-ill children and their families and Mr Hanover thanked all customers, delivery rounds-people, suppliers, farm-shops and outlets that helped raise the monet which far exceeded the original £30,000 target.

The seven-day ride started on June 29 with two 26-mile laps of Kielder Water and the team – consisting of Trevor Hanover, Michael Hanover and Paul Doran with Eldon Robson and Ruaridh Aitken from Fentamins – endured a week of soaring heat with temperatures reaching 33C.

The event was also supported by Hexham-based soft-drinks company, Fentamins, which also helped raise money.

Hannah Petheram said: “The Trust is extremely grateful to Trevor Hanover and the cycling team for raising this incredible sum of money. We would like to thank everyone that contributed to this charity fund-raiser and appreciate the generosity extended to the Trust by Hanover Dairies’ customers.”

Together with it Charity Ball, Newcastle-based Hanover Dairies, has raised more than £96,000 for the Rainbow Trust since November last year.