WINCHESTER bus staff have raised more than £1,000 for charity after a sponsored cycle last weekend.

Drivers, engineers and administration staff from Stagecoach South cycled 24 miles between Winchester and Basingstoke on Sunday (June 2).

It was organised to mark the start of the company’s fifth ‘Green Week’, which focuses on energy reduction, and raise money for cancer charity Prostate UK, with £1,300 collected so far.

Operations director Tom Bridge said: “Everyone who took part in the cycle challenge had a fantastic day to raise money for a great charity, while spreading the message of the importance of Green Week, which is a strong part of our ethos at Stagecoach.

“As a company we take pride in being proactive in energy efficiency and being environmentally friendly. We will enjoy the challenge of doing as much as we can, not just this week but throughout the year, to reduce our energy and help our customers to enjoy improved journeys with us.”

But unfortunately for Winchester staff, they lost the Green Week Trophy to Basingstoke’s cyclists, who completed the challenge the fastest.