BOXING legend and reality TV star Tony Bellew has launched the Tour de Wards cycle challenge at Arrowe Park Hospital.

Always up for a challenge, the Liverpool-born former cruiserweight champion, who delighted fans by taking on the I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! bushtucker trials earlier this year has now backed the hospital’s cycle challenge.

The Tour de Wards cycle event officially kicks off on Monday (February 26). Participants will go head-to-head on static bikes at the hospital entrance all week.

It is all in aid of WUTH Charity, the official charity of Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WUTH) which runs Arrowe Park Hospital, which is raising £1m in its Tiny Stars Appeal for facilities for premature babies.

For the first cycle challenge of the Tour de Wards, Tony took on WUTH Charity supporter David Hughes, managing director of DT Hughes Group. Tony previously supported the charity by taking part in an abseil down the side of the Arrowe Park Hospital building.

Launching the cycling event, Tony said: "It's been great to come back to Arrowe Park Hospital to support the charity.

"I hope everyone gets involved and it raises lots of money for the appeal."

David, who has supported many events for WUTH Charity in recent years, said: "The work the charity does is phenomenal and this is a really important appeal so I wanted to come along and lend my support."

Wirral Globe: (Left to right) David Hughes, managing director of DT Hughes Group; Phil Crawford, community and events fundraiser for WUTH Charity and Boxing legend Tony Bellew at the launch of the Tour de Wards cycle challenge at Arrowe Park Hospital(Left to right) David Hughes, managing director of DT Hughes Group; Phil Crawford, community and events fundraiser for WUTH Charity and Boxing legend Tony Bellew at the launch of the Tour de Wards cycle challenge at Arrowe Park Hospital (Image: Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust)Staff at Arrowe Park Hospital have signed up for the event and people will see them challenging one another throughout the week at the hospital entrance.

Phil Crawford, community and events fundraiser for WUTH Charity, said: "We’ve had a fantastic response for the Tour de Wards event with lots of staff signing up to take part. It was brilliant to have Tony and David come along to launch the event for us.

"We will be at the entrance of Arrowe Park throughout next week so people can see the challenges and help us raise lots of money for the appeal.”

People can donate to the appeal by visiting: Tour de Wards - JustGiving