FORMER Steeton woman Penny Roberts is busy training for her next event.

Penny, who was paralysed in a sky diving accident 11 years ago, will take part in the Derbyshire Dash and Dangle in May.

The event will see her taking part in a 50-mile cycle, a high ropes course, an 80ft abseil from a viaduct and finishing up with a canoe trip across a lake.

For the 43-year old, it is just the latest in a series of challenges.

"When I was injured 11 years ago they were saying I would be looked after in my own home for the rest of my life. But you cannot be a different person, you have to be yourself. Just because you're paralysed doesn't mean that you have to be different," she added.

She was worried for a brief period about the abseiling section of the event but was quickly convinced by the rest of her team that it would be perfectly possible.

Penny will be taking part in the Dash with regular helper Sally Ineson, physio Mark Wilkinson, and former soldiers Darren Mazey and Adrian Green.

The team has just started training and they're hoping to get a practice session or two on the Ribblehead Viaduct when it closes for repairs.

This time round the team is hoping to raise around £2,000 for the Duchess of York's Children in Crisis charity.

Penny's previous trip, a 400km cycle across Kenya, raised £4,500 for Regain, which helps people who have become tetraplegic as a result of a sports injury.

She uses a specially-adapted bike which she "pedals" with her hands. Aire Valley Cycles sponsored Penny's team on their Kenyan trip and they are now looking for a new sponsor for the Derbyshire Dash and Dangle.

"We're the only team taking part from the North of England and so we're called the Northern Danglers."

Anyone interested in sponsoring the team can contact Penny on 0798 0568753.