PINTS have been turned into pounds during a charity pub crawl which has seen over £1,000 raised for Help for Heroes thanks to a group of friends from Harpenden.

When former serviceman Gavin Leek established the Push Bike Pub Crawl in 2008, just seven people joined him.

But the annual event has grown considerably, with about 45 cyclists taking part in the fundraiser on August 24.

Cyclists travelled through Codicote, Kimpton and other villages in Herts, visiting 10 public houses during the 17-mile pub crawl.

Gavin said: “There was torrential rain all day but it didn’t dampen the spirits.”

Helping him organise the pub crawl were friends Ashley Bourne, Anthony Stepniewski and Craig Papachrisostomou, all of Harpenden.

Gavin served with the RAF Regiment and did tours of Iraq and Afghanistan.

He established the pub crawl five years ago after cycling in the countryside and discovering many rural pubs – beyond walking distance but easily reached by bike.

As the number of participants grew, landlords and landladies urged him to turn it into a charity event.

In 2012 the inaugural bike pub crawl raised nearly £700 in aid of Help for Heroes, a charity that supports those suffering life-changing injuries and illnesses while serving this country.