STAFF at a Reading pub will be competing to win a place in the Spartan Chariot Race for Cancer Research.

The Yates staff members will be part of the 114 pubs in Stonegate Pub Company's southern region are competing for seats on one of the eight cycle chariots.

With twelve seats on each chariot, only those pubs that raise the most money in their area will get to take part in the Spartan race.

Those that do win a place will pedal on chariots around central and east London for five miles in full Spartan dress

The race, which takes place in London on June 20, is already underway, with pub teams coming up with imaginative ways to encourage customers and the local community to get involved and donate, either personally in collection buckets in the pub.

Donations can also be made online at: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/spartan-giving-page-1098.

Every penny raised matters, with the pub teams and customers all pulling together to ensure their pub is in the running to take part on the day.

Colin Hawkins, operations director at Stonegate Pub Company, who came up with the fundraising idea, said: "We've all been touched by cancer in some way in our lives, so we wanted to do our bit to raise money to help stamp out this awful disease.

"The pub teams and their customers are all behind this and together we intend to raise a big chunk for the cause, so let’s all support them and start donating."

The Stonegate Spartan Chariot Race for Cancer Research will commence at 12pm at The Minories, London.