FIGHTING FIT: Teacher Gillian Garner, above, and with members of the Gateway Club, above right

TEACHER Gillian Garner hopes her training in the hills of East Lancashire will put her a class ahead of some of her colleagues when she takes part in a 410 kilometre sponsored bike ride on the Great Wall of China.

Gillian is a volunteer for Brierfield's Gateway Club for youngsters with learning difficulties and is hoping to raise £2,500 for the youth club and the mental health charity Mencap.

She is also an English teacher at Gawthorpe High School, Padiham, is one of about 100 cyclists taking part in the charity event at the end of May.

She joked: "Many of them are from the south and not used to hills. It is not a race but I hope that my training in the local hills will help me." after the work of the club was mentioned to me by a lady at Mount Zion church, Cliviger."

To prepare for the six day ride, some of it actually on the Great Wall, Gillian, Of Woodgrove Road, Burnley, started training in January doing 12-mile trips over the weekend, as well as doing aerobike and aerobic training at the Thompson centre and swimming at Padiham pool.

Gillian, of Woodgrove Road, Burnley, is married with two sons aged 19 and 21.

She said: "I am doing it to raise money for a good cause but I am also in it for the adventure. China is somewhere I have always wanted to visit."

She hopes that students at Gawthorpe will help her to raise money through events including a sponsored swim and non-uniform day. To sponsor Gillian contact her on 01282 424889.