A WOMAN inspired by her friend's battle with cancer is hoping to put the brakes on the disease after cycling more than 500 miles for charity.

Gill Begnor, who lives in Charlbury, re-learnt how to ride a bike so she could cycle the 550 miles between the major Cancer Research UK centres in the country.

She is using the sponsored cycle to raise money for the Oxford centre based in Roosevelt Drive.

Throughout her two-week challenge, Mrs Begnor was spurred on by her friend Charlotte Taylor, as she fights the disease for the third time.

Mrs Begnor said: "I am just completely inspired by Charlotte.

"She has already beaten cancer twice and is currently beating it for the third time.

"She has now had her last chemo session and then it was time for me to do my bit.

"If she can go through that then I thought I can re-learn to ride my bike."

Having bought her road bike at Christmas, Mrs Begnor did not have long to become confident on the roads.

She embarked on the course completely unaided and printed off paper maps to get her round the challenging route.

Mrs Begnor chronicled her journey, which started in Glasgow, on a Facebook page CyclingForCharlotte, giving updates throughout the challenge.

With £1,000 still left to fundraise of her £5,000 target, Mrs Begnor hopes to get a final surge in sponsors.

She added: "Everyone at some point in their lives will be affected by cancer.

"Whether it is them or someone they know and love that goes through it, we can all spare a little time or money to help these brilliant researchers continue what they are doing.

"The money I am raising is going to be split between the Oxford research centre, which urgently needs funds for life-saving equipment.

"Some will also go to the Manchester centre, which recently lost millions of pounds worth of equipment and years of research in a devastating fire."

Mrs Taylor joined her friend with her three-year-old twins Grace and Oscar and all four crossed the finish line together last month.

Mrs Begnor added: "I feel really pleased to have achieved this."

For more information or to donate visit: justgiving.com/fundraising/cyclingforcharlotte