A TEAM of intrepid cyclists has raised thousands for the North East Autism Society by cycling 365 miles across Europe.

The group of nine undertook the Twin Town Tour Twenty Twenty Two Challenge (or T6 Challenge) in aid of the Society, visiting locations in Germany and the Netherlands which are twinned with North-East towns where NEAS provides services.

Kevin Meikle, fundraising manager for NEAS, said: “Our annual cycling challenge keeps getting bigger and better each year, and there’s no doubt that this was the toughest one yet, but it’s also been the most rewarding.

After celebrating the 40th anniversary of the society last year by cycling all across the North of England, we really wanted to do something on an even bigger scale, but keep it connected to our roots in the North-East.

"It's been a fantastic experience to visit so many beautiful areas that are twinned with the communities that NEAS serves, and to raise so much money to support our work there.

"We’re immensely grateful to our sponsors, including LM Global Telecoms, Marsh Commercial, Fleet Recruitment, and Total Business Group, to our amazing support team, and to everyone who has donated to our fundraising.”

The team raised £7,384.00 and counting towards NEAS’s vital work, beating last year’s total of £6,000. The journey took them three days and they cycled 365 miles.

Starting from Amsterdam, the route took the team through Oberhausen, twinned with Middlesbrough; Mülheim an der Ruhr, twinned with Darlington; Essen, twinned with Sunderland; Wuppertal, twinned with South Tyneside; and Mönchengladbach, twinned with North Tyneside.

"It was a fantastic experience,” Kevin added. “Every year we try to outdo ourselves, both in terms of how much we raise and how far we ride. We’re looking forward to coming up with something even better for next year!"

See our JustGiving page here