EIGHT intrepid cyclists completed a 24-hour sponsored bike ride from London to Huddersfield in sub-zero temperatures.

The pals, all Town fans, pedalled through the night in freezing weather conditions.

The mercury dipped as low as -5°C leaving the cyclists numb with cold.

Helmets literally froze to heads, liquid in drinks bottles turned to slush and one rider had to take time out as he lost the feeling in his hands and couldn’t grip the handlebars.

Even the police in Nottinghamshire thought the lads were out of their minds.

Officers pulled them over at 3am and proclaimed: “You must be mad. You must be from Yorkshire!”

They set off from Wembley Stadium in the capital at 2.15pm on Good Friday and arrived at Town’s Canalside base at 2.20pm the following day in time to watch Town’s clash against Hull City later.

The riders aim to raise £8,000 for Town’s Keep It Up Campaign which splits money between the club’s youth academy and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Organiser Mick Greig, 44, of Dalton, said the 240-mile ride had been organised six months ago and admitted they were caught out by the extreme weather.

“If we’d have known we would have been better prepared for the cold,” he said.

“We had balaclavas, hats, gloves and thermals but your hands and feet never got warm.

“We have all been sponsored and people have given us their hard-earned money so you don’t expect to have it easy.

“It was a challenge and we achieved it.”

The riders, who took part in last year’s Town Pedal for Pounds Yeovil bike ride as Team Red, were: Mick, Ian Gledhill, Les Field, Gary Denial, Andrew Scott, Matthew Smithies, Martyn Broughton and Dave Noon.

They took it in turns to ride and spent about 18 hours in the saddle.

“The hardest part was not having any hot food through the night,” said Mick.

“We had support vehicles but it wasn’t like we were on the motorway and could stop at the services.

“We just had hot water in flasks so we could have instant soup.”

Mick also hated cycling through London and vowed: “Never again. It was an absolute nightmare. Drivers in London have no respect whatsoever for anybody on bikes.”

The team wants to thank sponsors including Pure North Cider, Approved Food, Stockley Sweets, Wellhouse Leisure, Thorpes Transport and Direct Golf.

The group can still be sponsored at www.justgiving.com/townfansgonorthtokeepitup.