A PENSIONER from Bradford on Avon has conquered more than 200km of brutal terrain and scorching temperatures to cycle along the West Bank in Palestine.

Judith Hammond, of Middle Rank, completed the challenge in five days and raised £2,500 for Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), a charity which supports the medical health and needs of the Palestinian people.

“I was absolutely thrilled to complete the journey,” she said.

“It was a marvellous experience and one that I will never forget.

“I only got off my bike twice which I was very proud of because the heat got up to 35-40 degrees. I got through two litres of water in two hours.

“There were so many highlights and cycling into Bethlehem at the finish was wonderful.”

The 72-year-old, the chairman of Bradford on Avon’s Friends of Palestine Group, paid tribute to Steve Onyett, from Bristol, who died after suffering a heart attack on the first day of the ride on September 28.

“We had to finish the ride for Steve,” she said.

“It was tragic but his partner Emily wanted us to carry on and so did we. It was a very tough day mentally but it gave us extra motivation to do it for Steve and Emily.”

The septuagenarian was the eldest member of a group of more than 30 cyclists and at the closing awards ceremony, she won an award for the most impressive effort. The event has so far raised more than £130,000 for the charity and extra donations are still coming in from the Bank of Palestine who have pledged to match the total raised by the cyclists.