Cyclists create a buzz on charity ride through Italy

A group of six cyclists is attempting to ride 1,000 miles across Italy in 12 days to raise money for heart charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (Cry).

Team Buzz, originally formed in 2006, is due to set off from Sicily tomorrow (Friday), and will take in Naples, Rome and Pisa on its way to Milan.

The original team of three men took on a similar challenge across France three years ago in memory of 22-year-old Claire Dee Shapland, who died at her Ball Hill home in 2005 of a cardiac arrhythmia.

With a few extra recruits, the team is set to tackle the challenging Italian terrain to raise money to help set up a cardiac screening programme for young athletes in the UK, similar to a practice already carried out in Italy.

The team has surpassed its original fundraising target of £5,000 and is now hoping to reach £10,000.

With the support of Miss Dee Shapland’s father, Nick, Berkshire’s representative for Cry, the team is hoping to attract more sponsorship.

To donate to the Team Buzz cause, log on to

http://www.justgiving.com/teambuzzitaly;