ADVENTUROUS Jan Hartley waved farewell to her fellow Women's Institute members and embarked on a charity cycle ride across Egypt.

The 64-year-old, from Blackburn, first saw an advert for the charity cycle in the Blackburn WI's members magazine and jumped at the chance to take part.

She is raising £2,500 for family charity Professor Winston's Clinic for Health for Mothers and Babies.

Mrs Hartley was today joining 200 other women and Dr Winston himself for a gruelling 250-mile, five-day ride along the River Nile in Egypt.

She said: "I saw the advert and thought what a wonderful idea and what a fantastic way to see Egypt, which is somewhere I've always wanted to go.

"It's going to be very difficult but I've been training very hard, cycling every day and going to the gym. My family think it's fantastic."