A woman who lost two friends and former colleagues to cancer has struck back at the illness by cycling 5,000 miles in aid of Cancer Research.

Gemma Towell, 35, of Cowling, near Keighley, decided to take action in January.

Now she has raised £2,300 – and her employer has matched the amount.

“There have been times when I’ve been cycling feeling very tired,” she said. “But then you remind yourself why you’re doing it.

“I can’t believe I’ve managed it. It feels a bit surreal. I’d planned to do something big. I’m fairly physically fit but this was much longer than I normally do.”

She has ridden the length of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal and participated in the Sheffield Man of Steel competition.

In September she took on the notorious Tough Mudder assault course at Broughton Hall.

Gemma passed the 5,000- mile mark on November 18 while cycling to her workplace at Whitaker’s Chocolate in Skipton.

Her two former colleagues died of cancer while she was carrying out the challenge.