FIVE Wiltshire police officers will be taking part in the 2014 UK Police Unity Tour.

The tour begins on July 18 at the National Police Memorial on The Mall in London, and participants will cycle 170 miles across six counties over the course of three days, to finish at the National Arboretum in Staffordshire.

The Wiltshire team is made up of Deputy Chief Constable Mike Veale, Sgt Steve Bussey, Sgt Douglas Downing, PC Richard Monk, and DC Fiona Cuthbert, each of whom must raise a minimum of £400 sponsorship money each.

The officers will also be joined by Heather and Andy Cooper, and Pete Tuite, a response sergeant, will be their support and logistics driver.

Each cyclist will be riding in memory of a police officer who has died on duty, the names of whom will be worn on bands and presented to the families of the fallen officers at the end of the tour.

The event raises money for the Care of Police Survivors charity (COPS), which focuses on helping the families of officers who have died on duty.