THE Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is advising supporters to sign up early for its annual Coast to Coast Cycle Challenge after another overwhelming response this year.

The 2017 event takes place on Sunday May 14, and with this year’s entries being filled within three days of on-line registration opening, demand for the 600 places available is expected to be even higher.

The event saw cyclists of all ages and abilities take part, raising over £70,000 for the life-saving charity.

Online registration opens at 9.30am on Tuesday December 13 through the charity’s website www.dsairambulance.org.uk. Entry fees are £20 for adults and £10 for under 16s.

Participants can enter as an individual or as a team, and the challenge offers two different routes and distances.

The main 54-mile cycle ride starts from Watchet and finishes at West Bay, taking in a mixture of quiet back roads, some demanding climbs and hairy descents.

Although not a race, a staggered start will see the stronger cyclists set off at 11am with the less experienced riders departing at 11.15am.

A shorter 11-mile route starts at the Royal Oak public house in Drimpton at 2pm and also finishes at West Bay.

Air ambulance chief executive Bill Sivewright said: “We are thrilled to be able to announce the date for our Coast to Coast Cycle Challenge 2017.

“This will be our seventh year in the saddle and every year the event seems to get better and better.

“I believe one of the main reasons for this is the feedback we get from those who take part and the stories of courage and determination along the way.

“We always strive to build on the success of the previous year and with this in mind we are once again restricting our numbers to 600 cyclists.

“We are also continuing with a staggered start time in order to keep the event as safe as possible and to encourage all standards of cyclists to take part without fear of being overcrowded.

“With such a demand, there will undoubtedly be those who are disappointed not to gain a place which is why I cannot stress enough, how important it is to register early.”

The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has flown more than 11,500 missions since its launch in March 2000, and with no direct Government or National Lottery funding, relies on the generosity of the public and events like cycle ride for support.