A group of friends are preparing to cycle 200 miles to watch Watford play Leicester in honour of their friend who was a Hornets season ticket holder.

Sam Keen died after a seven-year battle with malignant melanoma despite undergoing more than 20 operations to remove tumours.  

Following his death, Sam’s dad Peter set up the Sam Keen Foundation to fund research to help others fight the terrible disease.

All money raised through the charity bike ride will be donated to the foundation, which has grown exponentially from its comparatively humble initial target of £25,000 to raise more than £465,000.

The foundation now funds two research fellows at the Royal Marsden Hospital – a specialist cancer treatment hospital in London – and is looking to fund a third.

The latest fundraising challenge involves a mixed group of experienced and novice cyclists, including Sam’s school friends Stu Foster and Paul McGowan, riding from Watford’s Vicarage Road ground to the King Power Stadium in time for a 3pm kick-off on Saturday May 6.

Mr Foster, 32, an assistant head teacher, said they were setting off at 5am to give them the best chance of catching the whole match.  

He said: "It's going to be a gruelling 200 miles, especially for those of us new to cycling, but our memories of Sam will help to spur us on - that and the prospect of an unlikely win for the Golden Boys at the Premier League champions.

"A couple of us having been working tirelessly on devising the correct route. We've ensured we're avoiding motorways, hills and Luton.”

Mr McGowan added: “Sam was kind, caring, funny and completely selfless. He would always care about other people more than himself despite suffering terribly for years with aggressive cancer and multiple painful operations.

“Training and fundraising every year in memory of Sam and for a great cause has helped bring us closer together as friends.”

If you would like to help the intrepid group reach their £6,000 target, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/leicester-watford