IT’S time to strap on your helmets and put pedal to the metal as applications for a popular charity fundraiser will soon be accepted.

The Coast to Coast Cycle Challenge for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance will be held on Sunday, May 15 and potential participants are being urged to act fast if they want to book their place.

The lifesaving charity hosts the challenge to raise vital funds which allow it to keep the chopper in the air and as part of the gruelling challenge there will be two different routes on offer.

For those who like a challenge, the 54-mile cycle which starts in the Somerset port of Watchet and finishes at West Bay near Bridport will not disappoint.

With a mixture of quiet back roads, interspersed with some very demanding climbs and equally hairy descents, the event has something to offer for everyone.

For those that don’t want to cycle that far, there is a shorter 11 mile route which begins at Drimpton in Dorset and also finishes at West Bay.

Bill Sivewright, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance chief executive officer, said: “We are thrilled to be able to announce the date for our Coast to Coast Cycle Challenge 2016.

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

“In order to keep the event as safe as possible and encourage all standards of cyclists to take part without fear of being overcrowded, we are once again restricting our numbers to 600 cyclists.

“Last year we created a staggered start which saw the stronger cyclists setting off first. This was very successful and we will continue with this for 2016.

“We are really looking forward to this years’ event and hope that everyone that enters will once again encourage their family and friends to sponsor them in a bid to make this the best Coast to Coast Cycle Challenge yet.”

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has flown more than 10,700 missions since its launch in March 2000, saving many lives and aiding recovery with outstanding immediate care and rapid delivery to the hospital best suited to meet the patient’s needs.

With no direct Government or National Lottery funding, it relies on the generosity of the public and events like Coast to Coast for financial support.

With only 600 places available, cyclists are urged to act fast if they want to book a place. Applications will be accepted from midday on Monday, December 14.

For more information visit dsairambulance.org.uk, contact 01823 669604 or email c2c@dsairambulance.org.uk