TWO friends cycled nearly four marathons in one day to raise money for a specialist children's unit.

Ann-Marie Mould and Emma Fame rode 100 miles each on exercise bikes in six hours at Didcot Conservative Club on Saturday.

Miss Mould, a mum-of-two who lives in Aston Tirrold, set the challenge to raise funds for Southampton Hospital Cardiac Children's Unit after a close friend's little boy was born with aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the aortic valve in the heart.

The 32-year-old said: "The support the hospital gave that family and the after care was just fantastic.

"Because it is such a specialist unit, it is the closest one for people in Didcot to go to."

Miss Mould said she got into cycling when she had bought an exercise bike as part of her new healthy regime.

She said: "It was addictive, when I first went on it I did about six miles and then I was hitting eight, 10, 15 and then 20 miles.

"I remember one evening I managed 30 miles and it was then when I thought to myself I am going to do 100 miles.

"I phoned Emma and told her my plan, and she said she would be on board as well."

As well as riding 100 miles, the two women also organised a programme of live music, a disco, face painting, a bouncy castle, a cake stall and a fish and chip van outside the conservative club on Foxhall Road.

She added: "I said I would be happy if I did the challenge in seven hours and couldn't believe it when I reached it in six hours and eight minutes.

"Although I'm having this week to recover, I'm getting back on the bike and would love to maybe do an on-road challenge, perhaps do the cycle from London to Brighton."

Miss Mould raise £510 for the hospital on the day, bringing her total fundraising to £1,200.

Mayor of Didcot Steve Connel was present on the day to open the century cycle.

He said: "This cause means a lot to me because a close family member of mine's life was saved by the care he received here.

"He would not be around if this was not here.

"This is an opportunity to help people too small to protect themselves."

Sponsor the hospital online at justgiving.com/fundraising/Ann-Mould