Super cyclists smash fundraising target for lasting memorial to tragic Hartlepool mum of three

The Vicky Aylett memorial bike riders about to set off from Edinburgh Castle.

Friends and family of mum-of-three Vicky Aylett battled through exhaustion, snow, torrential rain and punctures when they cycled from Edinburgh to Hartlepool and raised more than £2,700

They beat their £2,500 target to buy a memorial bench for Vicky, of Seaton Carew, who died last March aged just 28 as a result of complications from an ectopic pregnancy.

Vicky Aylett with her three children Ellie, baby Lailani and son Taio-Romeo.

She left behind three children Ellie, aged nine, Taio-Romeo, seven, and Lailani, aged three.

The bike ride team was made up of Vicky’s brother Mark Aylett, her best friend Ashley Jobling, Ashley’s partner Kyle Joyce and his dad Neil, and friends Samantha Hyslop and Jonathan Tunstall.

They arrived home to a heroes’ welcome at the Belle Vue Social Club on the first anniversary of Vicky’s untimely death on Friday night.

Ashley, 31, who worked with Vicky, said: “The weather was awful. In Edinburgh itself it started snowing.

Charity cyclists who rode 197 miles from Edinburgh to Hartlepool in memory of town mum Vicky Aylett after arriving at Belle Vue Social Club.
From left: Mark Aylett, Jonathan Tunstall, Neil Joyce, Sam Hyslop, Ashley Jobling, Dave Coulson (driver) and Kyle Joyce. — Charity cyclists who rode 197 miles from Edinburgh to Hartlepool in memory of town mum Vicky Aylett after arriving at Belle Vue Social Club. From left: Mark Aylett, Jonathan Tunstall, Neil Joyce, Sam Hyslop, Ashley Jobling, Dave Coulson (driver) and Kyle Joyce.

“We have had a broken chain, dodgy wheel and got lost a couple of times.

“But I am over the moon with how much we have raised. It will go towards a memorial bench and the money left over will go towards a headstone.”

The team set off from Edinburgh Castle last Tuesday and pedalled for up to 10 hours a day.

Each one completed the distance with Dave Coulson driving the support van after taking a week off work.

The team had to battle through some pretty wet weather.

Kyle said: “Some of the hills were shocking. Actually they weren’t hills they were mountains.

“But we had some good laughs along the way. Next year we are going to try to do a coast to coast for cancer.” Sam Hyslop added: “It was the best experience of my life.”