Ten bakers from Chester-based bakery ingredients company Ireks UK have cycled around Loch Ness for Macmillan Cancer Support.

For every bag of cheesecake mix sold, Ireks donates to Macmillan. But with this already in place, Maurice van Tongeren, director of Ireks UK and an enthusiastic cyclist, extended an invitation to the Etape Loch Ness cycle race to his colleagues and customers.

The popular event, a 106km route around Loch Ness, took place on 24 April, and the Ireks Pro Cycle Team, made up of 10 Ireks bakers, completed it in five hours.

Or as they put it: “10 bakers, 10 bikes, one aim: keep going!”

To keep energy levels high, Lee Pugh, national sales manager at Ireks, welcomed them halfway with freshly-baked cheesecake.

Thanks to donations on their Just Giving page (www.justgiving.com/IREKS/), nearly £9,500 has been raised so far for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Last July, Ireks launched the year-long fundraising campaign for Macmillan Cancer Support.