A PARTIALLY-sighted Bradford woman is about to set off on a 170-mile tandem ride coast to coast in aid of charity.

Helen Davies, 52, from Greengates, is taking on the four-day challenge which leaves from Morecambe on August 12 with her good friend Helen Williams and two other pals.

While Ms Davies is raising money for the Guide Dogs charity, Ms Williams, 50, from Apperley Bridge, will be dedicating her sponsorship to SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailor, Air Force Association) helping military personnel and their families through difficult times. Ms Williams is doing the ride in memory of her dad who was a Desert Rat serving in Egypt with Lord Montgomery and died last year aged 99.

The friends have already been in training for weeks which has included bike rides, getting used to the tandem and going to the gym together to make sure they are in good enough shape to get through the adventure.

The Coast to Coast Challenge known as the Way of the Roses will take the friends from Morecambe Bay on the West Coast, past Lancaster, through the Dales, past Ripon, York, Pocklington and Driffield before reaching their final destination of Bridlington on the East Coast.

Ms Davies, who said her life changed for the better when she got her guide dog Tasmin, has already raised money for the Guide Dogs charity by competing in the Baildon Boundary Way multi-terrain event earlier this year.

Despite having a genetic eye disorder that is degenerating her retina, she is determined to keep active active and help others at the same time.

Her condition means she only has a minute amount of tunnel vision and doctors have told her it will eventually get worse.

Plans for the coast to coast challenge began after the two Helens met at a Shipley Golf Club function and started chatting only to discover they both shared an ambition to do the ride.

“We decided to try it and give it ago. I’d always wanted to do it for my dad and Helen wanted to do it but needed to have someone confident enough to do it with her,” said Ms Williams who will take it in turns with her other friends to ride tandem.

“Communication is the key to success. Whoever’s on the tandem has to communicate all the time, there needs to be plenty of prior warning about puddles and overhanging trees,” said Ms Williams.

Anyone wanting to help with sponsorship should visit justgiving.com/teams/girlsdocoast2coast.

“Just knowing we’ve got people’s support will make our hill climbs and tough times well worth all the pain!” said Ms Williams.