CUSTOMERS and staff at a hair salon in Norton raised £500 for a man taking on an epic 100-mile cycle challenge for a Worcester hospice this weekend.

Kalma Hair Studio served up some tasty treats and ran a raffle to raise cash for Anthony Huxley, who is taking on the Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100 event on Saturday, August 10 in aid of St Richard's Hospice.

Mr Huxley, whose wife Sue is a regular client at the salon, said he was taking on the challenge this weekend with friends Chris Wilds and Stephen Breakwell, who he knows through Nuffield Health in Droitwich Road.

"I've been cycling since 2010 but I was only doing it occasionally at weekends," he said.

"But over the last 12 months I've really got into it.

"Over the last few weeks I've done 200 miles a week in preparation.

"My wife complains that she hardly sees me."

The 53-year-old tool maker from Warndon Villages said he expected Saturday's event to take about seven hours and said he was "overwhelmed" by how much the salon had raised.

Owner of the salon in Court Farm, Church Lane, Sarah Cordell said apprentice Sian Owens had run a promotion campaign for the fundraising as part of her NVQ level three in hairdressing and Norman Rogers, whose wife Judi is a regular customer at the salon, had cooked batches of cupcakes to raise even more money.

The salon raised £550 in total, £50 of which will go towards the St James the Great Church's tower appeal.

Worcester-based St Richard's Hospice provides free specialist palliative care for more than 2,400 patients living with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses and their families every year.

To sponsor Mr Huxley visit www.justgiving.com/Anthony-Huxley.

For more on Saturday's event visit www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk or for more information on St Richard's Hospice visit www.strichards.org.uk.