AN Oxfordshire couple who met and married whilst volunteering for Cancer Research UK are gearing up for a cycle challenge with a twist.

Sue Duncombe and Patrick McGuire first met while volunteering for the charity after losing their spouses to the disease.

Sue’s first husband Philip died of prostate cancer on Christmas Day in 2009, while Patrick lost his wife, Pam, to bowel cancer in 2007.

But the pair found love in their united determination to raise vital funds for research into the disease and tied the knot in December 2016.

Sue, 60, and Patrick, 63, from Childrey, near Wantage, are now back in training again for their next major event – the Three Peaks challenge, with a twist.

Sue explained: “The traditional ‘3 Peaks’ event, which involves climbing the three highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales in 24 hours, driving from one peak to the next.

“Rather than driving, we’ve decided to get back on our bikes and cycle."

“We’ll be undertaking this fundraising challenge for Cancer Research UK starting on 19th August and it will involve hiking 25 miles, and cycling almost 500 miles. We are looking to do all of this in eight days, starting at Ben Nevis and finishing at Snowdon, with the aim of beating cancer sooner.”

And the couple are keen for people to join them.

Ms Duncombe continued: “We will be finishing this challenge by climbing Snowdon on Monday 27th August (Bank Holiday Monday). If anyone would like to join us at Snowdon, we’d love to see you."

The pair are no stranger to fundraising events. In their first major fundraising effort together, they spent two weeks on two wheels, touring 98 Cancer Research UK shops and three of the charity’s research centres to raise money for the charity.

The couple have already raised more than £80,000 for the organisation, and Sue was crowned 2017 Ambassador of the Year for the charity earlier that summer.

Patrick added: “Having both been widowed at the age of 52, due to our spouses dying from cancer, we recognise the importance of Cancer Research UK’s work and want to save other families from having to go through this devastating experience.

“Since the deaths of Pam and Philip in 2007 and 2009, we became more and more involved with CRUK. In addition to fundraising, we became Cancer Campaigns Ambassadors in Sheffield and Wantage respectively, campaigning to improve early diagnosis of cancer and get legislation introduced for Standard Packs for cigarettes.

"We met increasingly at training and lobbying events and to cut a short story even shorter, becoming much more than volunteer colleagues, we married in December 2016."

The couple will be met on Snowdon by Cancer Research UK’s Director of policy and public affairs, Emma Greenwood and supporters who are joining the couple to mark the final leg of their amazing challenge.

For more information and to donate, visit: http://3peaksultra4cruk.com/home/