RORY DELAP has sent a special thank you message to the generous people who have made donations to his latest fund-raising bike ride for the Donna Louise Children's Hospice.

Stoke City's experienced midfielder has now collected almost £4,500 in sponsorship for the two-day coast-to-coast ride across England, which is more than double his initial £2,000 target.

Delap and his colleagues tackled the 172-mile route from Whitehaven Docks in Cumbria to Tynemouth near Newcastle in just 48 hours, a day less than it took them to complete the same journey in his first such sponsored bike ride for the Donna Louise Trust two years ago.

"We've had a fantastic response so far and I would like to say a big thank you to everyone for their donations," declared the 33-year-old former Republic of Ireland international who is a Celebrity Champion of the Trentham-based Donna Louise Children's Hospice.

"It makes all that hard work so worthwhile when you get a response like that and it's satisfying to know we are helping such a great cause that needs all the assistance it can get."

"The hospice needs money to keep going because of the running costs, but myself and a lot of other people are determined to help keep things going. Hopefully, with the kindness of the supporters we can raise a significant amount of money to help the children there."

Supporters wishing to make a donation can still do so by going to www.justgiving.com/rorysbigbikeride