A MOTORCYCLE dealership has stepped in to save three firefighters' charity moped trek.

Aaron Cooke, Danny Munden and Ross Pullen, from Speedwell Fire Station, embarked on the trek to raise money for Children in Need.

But disaster struck when one of the mopeds broke down during the first leg of the trip from John O'Groats in Scotland to Tarifa in southern Spain.

Fortunately Bristol motorcycle experts Fowlers stepped in and gave the team a new moped.

The team have faced torrential rain and gale-force winds since they set off on October 24. As they crossed into the Lake District the extreme weather proved too much for one of the bikes.

A distress call to Bristol prompted Fowlers to give "The Slow Way Down" team a Honda Lead to replace their dud moped.

Ben Haines, a manager at Fowlers, said: "After hearing of the team's bad luck on Saturday, we did a run around to see if we had a vehicle available to suit the challenge. The Slow Way Down is a great charity event and Fowlers is delighted to be able to help."

The trip was inspired by Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman's Long Way Down series about their African motorbike ride. The team is expected to reach Tarifa early next wee and they will take part in the Children in Need Appeal night on November 14. To sponsor them see www.theslowwaydown.com.