IT was third time lucky for an Evesham woman who has been trying to complete a cycling challenge from one end of the UK to the other.

And back again.

Carol Hall, of Hampton, Evesham, finished the ride of 2,057 miles on her third attempt, arriving home on August 26.

The 63-year-old, who is a member of Evesham Wheelers, first attempted the challenge in 2009 but suffered a heart attack in Bristol. Mrs Hall decided to try again and in 2011 she made it from Land’s End to John O’Groats but bad weather was against her and she had to return home.

However the third time was a charm and she was delighted to realise her ambition.

“In 2009 I was taken ill on route with a heart attack,”

said Mrs Hall. “I went back last year to finish it from where we left off but the weather was so bad. This year we went back and completed the round trip.

“I was very pleased to get it done. When you have a heart problem you think, ‘I won’t get it done’, but I didn’t give up. It proves you can do these things if you put your mind to it.”

Mrs Hall raised £2,800 for the British Heart Foundation and the Air Ambulance.