A footie match, a cute pup and bike problems for the cycling trio

* The lads loved being special guests at a local match between Buxoro and Nasaf.

Being special guests at a thrilling local football match, an encounter with a cut puppy and a barrage of bike problems have been highlights of the past week for the three Llangollen area lads cycling to Thailand for charity.

As they headed across the desert area of Uzbekistan the Westheads - Dyfan Hughes, 18, from Llangollen, Louis Dennis, 19, from Garth, and James Thomas,19, from Wrexham - stopped off for a few days' well-earned rest in the town of Bukhara.

There they met Vladimir, who plays for local soccer side Buxoro in the Superliga, and he invited them along as his guests, free of charge, to their match against Nasaf. 

There were free football shirts for the trio and the warmest of receptions from the rowdy crowd.

The lads reckoned they'd never felt so welcome and said game, which ended in a 1-1 draw, had been one of their best experiences of the trip so far.

Unfortunately, their daily video log shows that the next few days shows was a bit of a mood-breaker, with one bike problem rapidly following another.

*The cute puppy they met on the trail and named Westie.

Showing the fortitude which has characterised their marathon journey they eventually found solutions to their mechanical ills, which meant having to thumb lifts from passing motorists to the nearest bike shops.  

One thing that lifted their drooping spirits was coming across a cute abandoned puppy along the way, which they took to immediately. And after they gave it some water and a few cuddles it just wouldn't leave them alone.

Knowing that they couldn't take the dog along with them they tried to find a home for it with local families, without success. So the pooch, which they named "Westie", spent another night with them in their hotel.  

As they hit the legendary city of Samarkand, their latest video shows them making a major route change which will now take in the nearby countries of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan and another range of mountains.

The lads are making their mammoth 1,000 journey in aid of the British Heart Foundation in memory of Tony Edge, the father of a friend who died following a heart attack in 2024.

They've raised a massive £27,000-plus of their £50,000 charity target since they left Llangollen eight months ago.

* llanblogger is recording their adventures along the way. To follow the journey on their social media and make a donation if you wish, go to: https://linktr.ee/westheads