Participants from across Dorset are gearing up for the annual Ride and Stride for Churches event.

The event, which supports Dorset Historic Churches Trusts (DHCT), takes place on Saturday, September 10.

DHCT is a charity that exists to help maintain church buildings throughout the county.

A spokesperson for the charity said: "the need for financial aid to repair these listed buildings is greater than ever: with the rising cost of building materials and the need to employ the most skilled craftsmen to carry out such sensitive work.

Chairman of the Trust, John Stokoe, said, “It is really encouraging that so many people in the county support us. We hope they all have an enjoyable time keeping fit and raising money.”

DHCT is a volunteer-led organisation which raises and gives away around £100,000 every year - the great majority of this income being generated on one day each September at the Ride and Stride.