PEDAL-powered pupils from throughout York clocked up more than 17,000 journeys to school between them as part of a month-long cycling promotion.

March’s Big Pedal initiative saw 14 schools take part in a scheme inspired to get youngsters on their bikes and out of their parent’s cars.

Finishing in eighth place out of 828 nationally – and first in York – was Skelton Primary School, whose pupils will celebrate the amount of journeys they made with a picnic and bike ride.

The event was organised by the UK charity Sustrans, which praised the pupils for their efforts.

Naomi Wells Smith, Sustrans Bike It officer for York, said: “I was amazed at the efforts from children, parents and teachers for this year’s race – it was a huge success.

“It was brilliant to see bike sheds and playgrounds full of bikes from children who had got to school under their own steam.”

Meanwhile, after three weeks of fierce competition, 54 teams from some of the city’s main employers have successfully completed the York Cycle Challenges.

The teams competed in six different categories, based on the number of employees.

Graham Titchener, programme manager for Cycle City York, said: “On behalf of the Cycling City York team, I would like to say thank you to everyone who logged their journeys on the challenge website, and congratulations to the many winners.”

Winners were decided on how many people could be attracted to take up cycling to work during the challenge.

Amongst those victorious were Shepherd Group’s industrial division, University of York’s biology department and the information and learning technology department at York College.

For a full list of riders and winners, visit yorkcyclechallenge.org.uk

What’s more York managed to thrash Cambridge as the two went head to head in a battle to see which of the UK’s most prominent cycling cities could attract the most competitors. York brought in 134 compared with Cambridge’s 111.