A pair of friends are gearing up to skateboard 25 miles across London – in Christmas-themed fancy dress.

Johnny Phillips, 30, of Steeton and 21-year-old Michael Laidler, of Silsden, will take part in a five-hour event called the Santa Cruise, to raise money for the charity Children’s Heart Federation. Their course will take them from Hyde Park Corner to Windsor Castle. Mr Phillips explained that the December 1 occasion is organised by a group called Longboarding for Little Hearts. He said: “This was created by a man called Dean Lake inspired by his daughter, who needed open heart surgery at the age of seven months old to save her life. In 2011 Dean decided to mark her first year of good health by trying to make a difference for The Children’s Heart Federation by doing something he loved – skateboarding.