A skateboarder from Leeds has completed an impressive 170-mile journey that saw him stop off at Britain's highest pub as part of a quest to raise money for charity.
Joe Hunt, 27, skated all the way to Whitby from Walney alongside friend Matthew O’Toole, as part of a four-day fundraising mission for Cancer Research UK.
The pair took on the challenge after family members had been diagnosed with cancer, and have now more than doubled their original fundraising target.
As part of the 'gruelling' 170-mile coast-to-coast trip, the duo stopped off at 17th-century boozer the Tan Hill Inn - notorious for being the highest pub in Britain.
At 1732 feet above sea level, it was no mean feat getting up there - at points, the terrain was so steep, the men said their boards starting rolling backwards.
However, after losing loved ones to cancer, they both wanted to do something to help others suffering from the disease and decided that, by breaking the trip down into four consecutive days, they could make it.
Speaking to Gazette Live, Matthew said: “I lost my cousin to my cancer. My mam had cancer and my grandad had cancer. Luckily they battled it and we found out Joe’s mam had cancer back in December.
“She fought it though. It was a charity we thought would be worthy for us to take on the challenge really.
“It was really hard. We battled through every type of weather possible - wind, thunder and lightning, rain, blistering sun but really really fun. I have got blisters all over my feet but it was well worth it.
"I went through a lot of emotions in in my mind. There were a lot of thoughts going on.
"It was partially part of the motivation that the pain we were going through was nothing compared to what other people are going for and it was very overwhelming coming from Tan to that final stretch into Whitby and seeing everybody.”
At the time of writing, the Joe and Matthew have raised £1,004 of their original £500 target.
The skateboarder's Just Giving page reads: "
"This July 6th - July 9th Matthew O'Toole and Joe Hunt are skateboarding from Walney to Whitby a total of 179 miles, we are breaking this down in to 4 consecutive days, July 6th Walney - Oxenholme 43 miles, July 7th Oxenholme - Tan Hill 44 miles, July 8th Tan Hill - Appleton Wiske 47 miles and July 9th Appleton Wiske - Whitby 45 miles.
"This will be a very hard challenge for us all especially the skate up to Tan Hill Inn which is the highest pub in Britain ! a whopping 1732 feet above sea level!
"This challenge is all in need of Cancer Research UK to try help beat cancer.
"1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime. We can all play our part to support the research that will beat it. Help fund life-saving research by making a donation to my page. Cancer is happening right now, which is why we are fundraising right now for Cancer Research UK. There’s no time to lose!
"Please help us by donating to our page today and help bring forward the day when all cancers are cured."
American chart topper Jason Derulo is visiting Leeds for a night of radio bangers that will get stuck 'In My Head' and yours too.
Known for soundtracking the early 2010s and beyond, Derulo is heading back to Leeds playing out at the iconic First Direct Arena.
The Florida-born performer has five UK number one singles to his name, so it's safe to say his setlist will be stacked with massive hits sure to 'Take You Dancing' all night long.
His latest effort The Last Dance is an eight track EP featuring collaborations with INNA and Melody as well as the bouncy lead single 'Sexy For Me'.
This leg of shows is titled after this project and Derulo is asking anyone going to wear their best futuristic or metallic attire and accessories - You might end up being his 'It Girl'.
Jason Derulo gig guide
Jason Derulo is coming to First Direct Arena Leeds on 6 February / Credit: Supplied via Wikimedia Commons
Jason Derulo UK tour dates
Fri 30 Jan - Birmingham, UK - Utilita Arena
Sat 31 Jan - London, UK - The O2
Mon 2 Feb - Cardiff, UK - Utilita Arena
Tue 3 Feb - Brighton, UK - The Brighton Centre
Thu 5 Feb - Bournemouth, UK - Bournemouth International Centre
Fri 6 Feb - Leeds, UK - First Direct Bank Arena
Sat 7 Feb - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live
Mon 9 Feb - Dublin, IE - 3Arena
Jason Derulo tickets for First Direct Arena gig
If you want to see Jason Derulo 'Talk Dirty' to a huge 13,000 arena crowd over some 'Trumpets' then you'll want to get tickets to this event.
Luckily there's plenty of opportunities for you to see Mr. Derulo 'Wiggle' right in front of your eyes as there's tickets available HERE.
Jason Derulo setlist
Although the tour hasn't kicked off yet, here's one of the Pop/ R&B champs latest sets from September last year which contains some 2010s classics and big belters.
Swalla
Wiggle
Take You Dancing
Acapulco
Savage Love
Whatcha Say
Who Hurt You
Tip Toe
Breathing
In My Head
Ridin' Solo
Spicy Margarita
Love Tonight
The Other Side
Dame Un Grrr
Talk Dirty
Want to Want Me
Don't Wanna Go Home / Shots
Who Hurt You
What are the stage times for Jason Derulo in Leeds?
The 'It Girl' hitmaker is visiting the UK for his The Last Dance Tour / Credit: Supplied via Wikimedia Commons
First Direct Arena has a curfew of 11pm meaning as much as we ′Don't Wanna Go Home', at least we'll be tucked up in bed before the early hours.
Anyone attending can expect the doors to open at 6.30pm with a kick-off time expected to be 7.30pm with support from Czech rising star THERA and Manchester EDM group LZ7.
How to get to first direct arena
Bus Station
Located on Dyer Street next to Leeds City Bus Station and approx. 15min walk from first direct arena and is wheelchair friendly.
Support and help for any persons with a disability is available as the station is a registered ‘Safe place’ to come into and ask for assistance.
Nearest Bus Stops
Clay Pit Lane
Wade Lane/Lovell Park Road
Woodhouse Lane
Nearest Train Station
Leeds City Station on New Station Street is around a 15min walk from first direct arena and a major hub on the national, regional and local rail network providing connections to a wide variety of destinations.
Parking
There are over 7,500 car parking spaces within a 15-minute walk of the arena. The arena doesn’t have it’s own car park however there are lots of options nearby. To receive 5% off Q Park when attending a show at first direct arena click here
The nearest Car Park with EV charging is located on Albion Street click here.
None of the above car parks are operated by the arena so for questions, queries or comments we ask that you contact the companies directly.
Hiring Bikes in Leeds
If you’re looking to hire a bike in Leeds, here are some of the best options you can try:
Beryl bikes – you’ll find the ‘Leeds City Bikes’ from Beryl stationed throughout the city. These are all e-bikes, and they’re available to hire on a pay-as-you-go basis. It costs £1 to unlock the bikes, and then 16p per minute to use them. We’d say these are great for zipping around the city and getting from A to B.
Talio – for a wider selection of electric bikes to choose from, Talio based at Buslinthorpe Green is a great option. From this company, you can hire cruiser bikes, mountain bikes, and cargo bikes. Prices start from £20 per day for rental, but if you’re hiring for a month or longer you’ll get a good discount.
This family-run farm in Leeds is hosting a huge Tulip Festival this spring with over one million tulips
Clementine Hall
Farmer Copleys is inviting everyone to basque in fields of tulips this April.
We all know and love Farmer Copleys for its incredible pumpkin patch and seasonal shenanigans.
It's the perfect spot to go with the family and escape the hustle and bustle of the city for an afternoon.
Based in West Yorkshire, nestled between Pontefract and Featherstone, the Copley family have everything you need for a seasonal experience you won't forget.
So you best believe we got very excited when they announced they'd be hosting a Tulip Festival this spring.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Spanning over 8 acres, Jack and the team have planted over 600,00 bulbs bulbs consisting of 100+ different varieties of all shapes and colours that arrived directly from the Netherlands.
In addition to the 500,000 planted last year that means there's over one million tulips to enjoy - now that impressibe.
Varieties include Carnaval de Rio, Tom Pouce, Gavota, Lily Flowering Mix, Blushing Appledorn, Wedding Dress and Rodolfo.
The festival will include five sections that have been split by 5 metre walkways enabling the best customer interaction in the field.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
There'll be two dedicated pick your own areas where an all seasons mix of bulbs have been planted to ensure that visitors have a wide range of tulips to explore, pick from and create the perfect bunch of tulips.How lovely is that?
There will also be plenty of photo opportunities, fairground rides and a bar to enjoy the view with a tipple or two.
The festival will take place from Monday 13 April to Sunday 3 May 2026, with tickets starting from just £9.
To find out more and to book your ticket, take a look at Farmer Copleys website. We'll see you in the tulip fields.
Georgina Pellant -
13th July 2023 
