A BALDRINE woman has completed a cycle trek from Land's End to John O'Groats in aid of Age Concern Isle of Man.

Mary-Jane Watson, 48, who works at Isle of Man College, raised £803 for the charity.

She took part in the 19-day cycling challenge as part of a group tour organised by cycling holiday specialists Saddle Skedaddle.

Mary-Jane was inspired to raise money for Age Concern in recognition of the support her mother-in-law, in her mid-80s, received from the charity's advice and information service after she developed Alzheimer's disease.

She said: "The weather was, in the main, very good, and in total I cycled 1,098 miles.

"There were some traumatic times, though, in the south of England where car drivers suffered from a bit of road rage. 

"But all that changed as soon as we reached the north. From about Preston onwards the trip improved daily, as we cycled more and more on quiet country lanes and old military roads.

"The bike's taken a bit of a bashing, I've lost six pounds and I'm back to cycling to work each day.

"Cycling is a fantastic past-time/sport, it has been vital in my quest for weight loss and general fitness, having taken it up in 2007 simply as an exercise.

"Not only does it make you feel fabulous, but you get to see the world from a totally different and much slower perspective. 

"The world is so very beautiful from the saddle of a bicycle with the wind in your face, and the sounds and smells of nature all around you.

"A highlight for me on my Land's End to John O'Groats ride was seeing vast moorlands, wild deer and an eagle in Scotland."

Age Concern Isle of Man chief executive George Quayle said: "This is a tremendous achievement to have cycled such a distance and we are extremely grateful to Mary-Jane for having chosen Age Concern as the cause to benefit from her outstanding efforts.

"I am also pleased that Mary-Jane and her mother-in-law have found our advice and information service of value, one of a whole range of services which, thanks to Mary-Jane and others like her, we are able to continue to provide to our growing number of clients."

Mary-Jane Watson presents Age Concern Isle of Man chief executive George Quayle with some of the cash raised by her cycle trip