Colchester fan Lea Finch has invited Town supporters to join U's followers on a charity bike ride ahead of the game between the sides at Layer Road on Saturday, 5th April. The ride is aiming to raise funds for to equip a Teenage Cancer Trust unit at Addenbrookes Hospital.

Lea told TWTD that Colchester fans organised a similar event last season: "We did the same between Layer Road and Southend last year and managed to raise over £7,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of Emily Begg, a young Col U fan who died of leukaemia aged just 14.

"Emily's parents have since set up the Emily Begg Fund, which aims to raise £100,000 to equip a teenage cancer trust unit at Addenbrookes Hospital, so that East Anglian youngsters can get treatment without having to travel to London.”

Lea says the route ought not to be too taxing: "We'll leave Portman Road at 11am, then make a stately procession through the cycle lanes of Ipswich, out into the countryside and through the villages of South Suffolk and North Essex.

"I think it would be about 25 miles or so, nothing too strenuous (last year we went to Southend, 43 miles!), and of course, it's easy to return to Ipswich by train. I imagine that there will also be a lunch stop around Dedham, probably involving a pub.

"The club are going to let us store the bikes at the ground during the match, and I should be able to find a football-uninterested person to guard the bikes during the match.

"This isn't an 'organised' event as such - people entering do so at their own risk. But if last year's is anything to go by, it's a top day, very good fun and raises shedloads of money for the TCT.”

If you want to take part, contact Lea via mail@leafinch.freeserve.co.uk or if you're not feeling up to the making the journey yourself, you can sponsor those that are via www.justgiving.com/colubikeride2.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls