A WEE COUNTY cyclist who lost her sight to a rare disorder is pedalling 500 miles in a bid to raise money for Forth Valley Sensory Centre.

Laura Cluxton will complete the challenge using a stationary bike in the garage of her home in Clackmannanshire.

She started on Monday, April 27, and has been releasing regular updates of her progress on YouTube.

In her first video, she said: "I'm going to be doing [the challenge] over the next three weeks, doing a little bit every day."

In practice, that means 25 miles on Monday, 40 miles on Tuesday, 25 miles on Wednesday, 40 miles on Thursday, 25 miles on Friday, then finishing up on Saturday.

Sundays will be Laura's rest day, so she can recover for the following week.

While it is a big challenge to undertake, Laura is well placed to complete it – as she is already an accomplished track cyclist.

In 2014, she competed in tandem pairs at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

And she did this after losing her sight to a rare genetic condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa while she was in her 20s.

It is against that background that she chose to raise money for Forth Valley Sensory Centre.

The centre is based in Camelon, and is a place where people with visual or hearing loss can access quality services and advice.

It closed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has cost the centre around £25,000 in revenue – a lot of money for a small charity.

Laura said: "Since I stopped competing, I've been looking for a good reason to get back on my bike.

"But I always need a goal or target to help motivate me.

"I thought this was the perfect plan: Raise money for a great local charity and keep myself entertained during lockdown."

Martin Allen, the centre's fundraising manager, said: "Laura's 500 Mile Cycle Challenge is a great idea to help raise funds so we can continue our support work at this time.

"Please do get behind her."

To follow Laura's progress, visit tinyurl.com/y9m75erc

And to donate some money to her fundraiser, visit tinyurl.com/y9ogajjv