A WOMAN suffering from incurable bone cancer travelled through the North-East yesterday on a tough 1,000-mile charity bike ride.

Jane Tomlinson, 39, reached the halfway mark of her journey, pausing at Bedale, North Yorkshire, during her journey from John O'Groats to Land's End.

The mother-of-three will set out today for the 42-mile trip to her home town of Leeds - where she will undergo chemotherapy tomorrow.

On Thursday, she will set out on the toughest part of the exercise, covering more than 70 miles from Leeds to Newark.

Mrs Tomlinson and her brother, Luke Goward, are hoping to to raise £100,000 for four charities with the tandem cycling challenge.

Her husband, Mike, 41, said last night that she was determined to succeed, despite having a tough time in the past few days.

"They have done 190 miles in the past three days, which has taken its toll," said Mr Tomlinson.

"She's dying, so to some extent it's a bit of a waste of time worrying.

"I worry that she'll fail more than I worry that she'll hurt herself.

"It's one thing setting out to do this, but she's doing this under the media spotlight and it would be a very public failure. But I know she has she has the grim determination to actually finish."

Mrs Tomlinson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1990. She had a mastectomy when she was 26, but the cancer returned in 1993.

She fought it again, but was told in August 2000 that it had spread, incurably, to her bones and lungs.

She took up athletics as a way to relax and last year raised £113,000 for charity by taking part in the London Marathon, London Triathlon and the Great North Run.

This year's trip is in aid of Cancer Research UK; Hannah House, a care home in Rothwell, Leeds; Sparks, a charity for medical research into conditions affecting babies and young children; and the Paediatric Acute Services at Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, where Mrs Tomlinson is a radiographer.

To make a donation, visit www.janesappeal.com, or go to any Yorkshire Building Society and quote sort code 57-00-45, account number 5349471430, or send cheques to the Jane Tomlinson Appeal, Yorkshire Building Society, Rothwell LS26 0AW.