A GROUP of Bicester fundraisers who took part in a bike ride in India for charity have returned from their adventure.

The Valley Girls, made up of 21 local women, raised funds and set off on a 470km charity cycle across India on February 6.

The five-day ride saw the ladies cycle from the Taj Mahal to Jaipur as part of The Big Heart Bike Ride organised by Action for Charity.

The group was aiming to hit a £40,000 target for charity but managed to raise £79,000 for the The British Heart Foundation, the Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Charitable Fund, Vasculitis UK and Southampton Hospital Charity. Group member Clare Hart said: “There are 21 of us in the group and we have all been friends for a long time after we met through our children who went to school together.

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“The bike ride went really well. India is absolutely beautiful and I think all of us felt really privileged to do this.

“It’s a beautiful country and I will certainly be going back.

“I think I speak for most of the group when I say it was an experience of a lifetime.”

The 51-year-old said that animals were abundant throughout the trip and that the group had to cycle over treacherous terrain.

She added: “The local people were so supportive, everyone was so welcoming and encouraging us in our big challenge.

“We were given friendship bracelets and had a great time, luckily there were no serious injuries but when some of us did fall off we had a laugh about it.”

The team is still raising money for the British Heart Foundation and donations can be made at virginmoneygiving.com/team/valleygirlscycle2015.