TWO Women's Institute members are in training for a charity bike ride around Cuba.

Marion St Quinton and Rita Cloughton get up at 6am most days for an eight or nine-hour cycle.

The pair, from Bainbridge, in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, will head out to Cuba in November to cycle about 250 miles in five days.

Mrs St Quinton, 48, president of Bainbridge WI, said: "For the past two years, Rita and I would borrow the kids' bikes and go for a ride.

"We thought 'this is quite nice' and considered going on a cycling holiday. It never happened but then this opportunity came up."

The two friends live opposite one another and signal across the street every morning if they want to go training on their bikes.

They aim to raise more than £5,000 in aid of the WI's Denman College, in Oxford.

Sales of a calendar featuring them are going well, as are tickets for a Yorkshire night at Askrigg Village Hall, on Saturday. Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding will be served and guest speaker author Dulcie Lewis will talk about Yorkshire past and present.

For tickets, at £12.50, or to sponsor the women, call Mrs St Quinton on (01969) 650451 or Mrs Cloughton on (01969) 650552. For more information on the Cuba cycle ride, call Liz Eaton on (01865) 391991.