GUISELEY granny Caroline Herries' usual cycling trips don't stretch much further than the shops.

But this month the 64-year-old, of Oxford Avenue, will fly to Ethiopia to embark on an arduous, 180 mile high

altitude cycling challenge.

And throughout her African adventure Mrs Herries, mother to five grown up children and grandmother of three, will be relying on a cheap, 'ex-catalogue' bike her sons laughingly refer to as 'the

tank'.

She said: "I do cycle but my cycling is usually just down to Morrisons to save taking the car.

"But I thought this would be an exciting thing to do. It's going to be high altitude so the landscape will actually be quite fertile.

"We fly to the capital Addis Ababa, which is high up, and the cycle ride itself will cover land between 6,000ft and 10,000ft. I'm in training now to try to get my fitness up because although we'll only be doing 30 miles a day, the

altitude means we won't get much breath.

"It's a sponsored ride for Maternity Worldwide, quite a new charity which started in Ethiopia as a clinic in a

hospital in a place called Gimbie. One in seven women die in childbirth in Ethiopia and this is training people and improving access to healthcare to try and

change that, so it's a very worthwhile charity.

"I'm 64 so I'll be the most senior of the party. I'm creaking a bit but not too much and thought if I'm going to do something like this, I need to do it soon before I start really creaking!

"I was talking to the charity about who was on the trip and asked if there were any other older people going. The girl on the phone said 'oh yes, there are a few people in their 30s' and I thought 'that's young!'

"I'm taking my own bike which is ex-catalogue and pretty basic and heavy, although it does have 18 gears. Two of my sons have offered to buy me a new one because they say I can't do the trip on 'that old tank'. But I think it's alright, we won't be going at speed!"

Thanks to the generosity of friends, family and businesses Mrs Herries has already passed her £2,100 sponsorship target and has to date raised £3,000 - all of which, as she has insisted on paying

for her own expenses, will go to the

charity.

She said: "I don't think it's right for people to be giving money to cover my holiday, really, because apart from the fund-raising this will be a trip to Ethiopia for me, which is great!"

She says knowing her large family - husband David and children Robbie, John, Tom, Charlie and Jane - are fully behind her will help her during the tougher stages of the route.

"They're all very encouraging and keep giving me lots of advice," she said, "because three of my sons are cyclists and take it much more seriously than I do.

"And my friends think I'm mad but are very supportive."

Mrs Herries' adventure will begin when she flies to Ethiopia at the end of the month, on September 30. with the cycle trip itself running from October 2 to October 8.

Anyone who would like to sponsor Mrs Herries can contact her on (01943) 871774 or find out more about the charity at www.maternityworldwide.org.