A PRESTWICH woman is getting on her bike to take part in a marathon "tower to tower" challenge.

Mrs Celia Smith faces a gruelling cycle ride from Blackpool Tower to the Eiffel Tower when she embarks on the one-week journey next month.

And she is being backed by Bury South MP Ivan who is helping Mrs Smith (55), to achieve her aim of securing £1,500 worth of sponsorship.

She is asking local residents and businesses to sponsor her. All the money raised will go to the National Kidney Research Fund.

Mrs Smith, of Sunny Drive, is no stranger to fund raising bike challenges.

"I'm a keen cyclist and I've taken part in a couple of Granada Wheel Appeal events, riding 60 miles from Manchester to Blackpool. "It's not the cycling that bothers me, it's the sponsorship pledge of £1,500."

Mrs Smith has taken early retirement after working for a visually impaired establishment in Manchester where she was involved in the production of large print books.

Good news for her is that Ivan Lewis has now stepped in a bid to boost her sponsorship goal.

"Celia approached me in the hope of gaining some sponsorship which, of course, I was happy to do," he said.

"However, she also informed me that she was some way from meeting her sponsorship pledge.

"That is why I have agreed to place copies of her sponsorship form in my constituency office in Prestwich."

Businesses and individuals who wish to sponsor Mrs Smith can obtain copies of the sponsorship form from Mr Lewis's office at 513 Bury New Road, Prestwich.