A 78-YEAR old from Glusburn has been named amongst the UK's most exceptional women in cycling.

Kath Lyons, who this year cycled from John o' Groats to Land's End, before following it up by cycling from Yorkshire to London, has made it onto Cycling UK's annual 100 Women in Cycling list.

Kath, who who bought her first bike only 10 years ago, and never learnt as a child, joins other inspirational women  such Aileen McGlynn OBE, paralympic tandem champion cyclist, and Emily Williams, Scotland’s first bicycle mayor.

Kath, an avid skier, wanted to stay fit throughout the year, so bought her first bike for £25 aged 66, having never had a bike or learnt how to cycle as a child.

From learning how to ride to becoming a dedicated member of two local cycling clubs and in May cycling from Land’s End to John o’ Groats solo and unsupported, Kath has wasted no time in getting stuck in.

A month after completing the 1,100 miles from John O Groats to Land's End, she joined for the second year running  The Jo Cox Way cycle ride - a 300 mile memorial ride from Yorkshire to London in memory of the Yorkshire MP who was murdered in 2016.

Kath said: “Never having had a bike as a child this was a completely new experience and one that was to change my life. Sounds dramatic, but it's true.”

Each year, the UK’s cycling charity recognises women from all corners of the cycling world who have had a positive impact by inspiring others to cycle and thus helping make cycling a more inclusive space.

Sarah Mitchell, Cycling UK’s chief executive, said: “Cycling is a fantastic way to get around sustainably, keep fit and have fun outdoors and we want everyone to benefit from the joy of cycling. But in the UK, substantially fewer women ride than men. It’s our mission to reverse that and see equal levels of cycling across all genders.

“A great way to encourage more women to cycle is to share the stories of these amazing women – whether they’re chronicling their adventures on social media, advocating for better infrastructure in their neighbourhoods, inspiring their communities to join them for a ride or winning medals around the world.

“Choosing the top one hundred winners involves some really tough choices – there are so many brilliant women out there who we’d want to celebrate.”

Gongs are awarded for a wide range of achievements that have helped inspire more women from diverse backgrounds to get on a bike. They are given in four categories: community champion, industry mogul, cycle influencer and sporting hero.