AN ADDINGHAM woman, paralysed from the chest down, will fly out to Cuba tomorrow to take part in a 400km charity cycle challenge across the Caribbean island to raise money for a charity that has given her invaluable support.

Penny Roberts, 52, was left paralysed after a parachuting accident in 1995 in Florida, when her main and reserve chutes tangled and only one third was in operation as she fell 13,500ft onto a concrete runway.

Over the years she has had to battle to keep her independence and live life to the full, and cycling has been an excellent way for her to keep fit. She uses a specially-adapted bike provided by Regain, a charity that improves the independence of men and women who have become tetraplegic as a result of a sports or leisure injury.

It is not the first time Penny has taken on a fundraising challenge for the charity. She cycled 400km trip across Egypt in 2007 raising thousands for Regain.

Penny has spent months training and planning for this latest challenge, alongside her personal assistants Lydia Waite, also of Addingham, and Claire Parker, of Keighley, who will take on the challenge as well. Penny's 17-year-old son, Peter, is also making the trip to Cuba.

Seventy riders from all over the country will take part in the bike ride, including seven who are paralysed. Penny is the only paralysed female taking part, using a special handcycle attachment, called a batec, that fits onto her wheelchair.

Penny said: "Most of the equipment that makes my life functional is not available from any local authority or NHS source.

"Regain has supported me with equipment and peer support, and I want to raise as much as I can for this charity because it helps turn an existence back into a life."

The trio have become familiar figures around Addingham in the months leading up to the challenge as they put the hours of training in all through the summer months.

"We have trained so hard," added Penny. "We have got used to seeing the same people on many of our routes.

"It has been a real community effort keeping us going – people have been lovely and so supportive. We hope to be able to raise a couple of grand for the charity."