An inaugural cycle ride helped push an appeal beyond the £500,000 mark to help improve cancer treatments at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Eastern Daily Press: Cyclists take part in the NNUH 99.9 Sportive event to raise money for the Targeted Radiotherapy Appeal.Picture by SIMON FINLAY.Cyclists take part in the NNUH 99.9 Sportive event to raise money for the Targeted Radiotherapy Appeal.Picture by SIMON FINLAY. (Image: Archant Norfolk.)

More than 300 cyclists took part in a circular 60 mile or 30 mile ride today to help raise funds for the hospital's Targeted Radiotherapy Appeal (TRA).

Officials behind the major fundraiser said they hoped to hit their £600,000 target by the end of the year to provide a new radiotherapy service for patients, known as high dose rate brachytherapy to help treat some prostate cancers. Patients from Norfolk and Suffolk who need brachytherapy currently have to travel to London for the treatment.

Louise Cook, fundraising manager at the N&N, said the event was set to raise thousands of pounds for the TRA with organisers British Cycling donating half of every entry fee to the appeal. She added that some staff had been sponsored to raise money for other departments in the hospital.

'This is the first time we have had this route and we have had a lot of staff members doing it. It is a nice family affair and a lot of cycle clubs have come out to support. I'm confident that we will hit the target by the end of the year and if we finish the fundraising by the end of 2014 it gives six to nine months to get the facilities in place in 2015,' she said.

Eastern Daily Press: Cyclists take part in the NNUH 99.9 Sportive event to raise money for the Targeted Radiotherapy Appeal.Picture by SIMON FINLAY.Cyclists take part in the NNUH 99.9 Sportive event to raise money for the Targeted Radiotherapy Appeal.Picture by SIMON FINLAY. (Image: Archant Norfolk.)

The hospital charity had previously benefited from a Cambridge to Norwich cycle ride, but officials decided to opt for a shorter and circular route that started and finished at Earlham Park this year.

Tom Roques, clinical director for oncology at the N&N, who did the 60 mile route, said: 'It was a nice atmosphere and lots of people enjoyed themselves and it was nice to have so many people.'

• Donate to the TRA online by visiting www.justgiving.com/NNUH-TargetedRadiotherapyAppeal

Eastern Daily Press: Cyclists take part in the NNUH 99.9 Sportive event to raise money for the Targeted Radiotherapy Appeal.Picture by SIMON FINLAY.Cyclists take part in the NNUH 99.9 Sportive event to raise money for the Targeted Radiotherapy Appeal.Picture by SIMON FINLAY. (Image: Archant Norfolk.)