DIETING was off the menu for 130 cyclists when they took part in the tenth Bettys & Taylors Annual Fat Rascal bike ride for charity.

The fundraisers took four substantial coffee stops as they completed a 125-mile circular route.

After starting at Bettys York, they stopped for breakfast at Bettys Northallerton, elevenses at Bettys Harlow Carr, lunch at Bettys Ilkley, and tea with scones at the home of one of the riders’ wives who turned her home in Wighill, near Tadcaster, into Katie’s Café for the occasion.

The group is spearheaded by Taylors of Harrogate managing director Andy Brown, who cycles regularly with the York Peddlars. The riders were a mix of the York Peddlars, friends and employees from Bettys & Taylors.

Andy said: “It’s gradually escalated each year. The first year there was just 15 of us, we got up to 73 last year, and now we have 130 people.”

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire which is hosting the 2014 start of the Tour de France, said: “We love the fantastic cycling spirit from one of the region’s most iconic Yorkshire businesses, Bettys & Taylors” adding he was tempted to join in the 2014 Fat Rascal ride to sample the food himself.