Four enthusiasts from St Albans are determined to smash a world record after setting themselves the challenge of cycling Route 66 in just seven days.

The four, Ross Osbourne, Kevin Lynch, Casey Lynch and Gerald Stanley are part of a ten-strong cycling team who will fly to America next year and cycle the 2,448-mile road to raise money for Help for Heroes and he Willow Foundation.

The challenge was dreamed up by Ross, who lives in Welham Green, while he was stuck in traffic.

He said: "I was sitting in my car on the M25 when the idea just sort of came to me.

"I met the others in 2011 while doing the London 2 Paris bike ride.

"We had talked about doing something to celebrate one of us turning 50."

"Mick Jones, another member of our team, reaches the milestone next year and had said he wanted to travel across the USA in a Winnebago, I just adapted that slightly really."

The team, who are aged between 20 and 52, have planned to complete the cycle in a relay, followed by Winnebagos and will aim to cycle 350 miles a day to achieve their target of claiming a Guinness World Record title.

Kevin Lynch, of Park Lane, said despite being an amateur cyclist he is looking forward to the challenge. Kevin, 47, said: "I am not a keen cyclist in compared to some of the other members of the team.

"However by next year I am sure I will be.

"We are not training as much as we should be at the moment, but that will soon change.

"It is going to be a tough challenge and I think my last challenge because I am getting on now."

Kevin will be cycling alongside his 20-year-old son Casey, who studies at the University of Hertfordshire.

Kevin, who is a landscape contractor, said: "I am very pleased to be doing it alongside Casey.

"We are very close and have played in football teams, I was the coach for his team at the London Colney Colts FC and now we play rugby together.

"It will be really nice to do it with him and he is really looking forward to the challenge.

"Some of the team are very passionate about Help for Heroes and I am particularly keen to do something for our local charity, Willows."

The team hopes to raise £100,000 towards their chosen charities and will hold a launch day on Sunday (September 23) where they will cycle behind an old double-decker bus from the Crooked Billet pub in London Colney to London. The bus will be emblazoned with charity banners publicising their challenge.