Last updated 07:39, Friday, 04 July 2008

EAGLESFIELD Paddle School helped to raise more than £800 for a former pupil’s 960 mile charity ride.

World Rally Championship driver Matthew Wilson, of Cockermouth, and his co-driver Scott Martin, this week completed their mammoth ride from Lands End to John O’Groats.

Matthew, son of M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson, is a former pupil of Eaglesfield Paddle School.

The pair, joined by other cyclists, including rival on the track Chris Atkinson, raised close to £30,000 with money still pouring in.

Big contributions were made by Stobart company boss Andrew Tinkler and Stobart, the really team for whom Matthew drives.

The money will be split between the Richard Burns Foundation, the Great North Air Ambulance and the Cumbria Community Foundation.

Eaglesfield Paddle School raised £812 by setting up their own cycle tracks and between all the pupils rode for 1120 miles.

Year six teacher Andrew Davies and his class organised the events.

He said: “We decided that we would try and copy what Matthew was doing by setting up our own tracks around school. Pupils rode around the courses, which were in the playground and car park, clocking up the miles.

“Other children rode to school and since we are in the middle of nowhere they did exceptionally well.

“We are pleased with how it all went and it is always nice to support former pupils.”

The duo took eight and a half days to complete the journey in which they experienced both amazing days of sun but hit some rain when they entered Cumbria.

Pupils from Eaglesfield Paddle met with the charity riders as they passed through on the Cumbrian leg of the journey.

Matthew said: “It was great to see the pupils from Paddle. The amount of money they raised was fantastic and we really do appreciate it.

“The whole experience was fantastic and we had a great time. It is hard to believe but I enjoyed every minute of it.”

A detour was made to go to Lanark in Scotland to see Alison McRae, wife of late rally legend Colin, who Matthew still looks up to.

He said: “The McRae house is only two miles off course so we popped up to see Alison. I knew Colin and it was nice to break up the riding. I was able to get a few photos taken of me standing next to some of Colin’s old cars. I looked up to him as a driver, he was one of my heroes.”

Whitehaven born Scott said: “It was a real experience for us. We never expected to raise so much money but it is great that we did.

“It was good seeing Alison. She wished us well for the rest of our trip.

“It was nice getting into Cumbria and in Carlisle, I went right past my house. It was good seeing smiling faces at the Stobart garage and the children that came to see us.

“Surprisingly I wasn’t sore afterwards and I am looking forward to next year’s challenge.”