A mum of three from Wimbledon is the only female joining rugby star Lawrence Dallaglio on a 2,800km cycle trip across Europe this Friday.

Joanna Croker, 46, of North View, will be taking part in the month long Dallaglio Cycle Slam and has already raised more than £30,000 in sponsorship.

All money raised is being split between Sport Relief and the Dallaglio Foundation, and will go to a range of beneficiaries including Cancer Research.

Joanna, who recently lost both her father and a good friend to cancer, said these causes were very close to her heart.

She said: "I decided to take part in the trip while my father was still ill. I used to take the bike in the back of the car to the hospital with me and it really helped me through.

"My heart has been warmed by people's generosity and if anything will get me through, that will."

The Cycle Slam will leave from Rome on Friday and will take in each of the RBS Six Nations rugby countries, with cyclists getting only three days off.

She said: "I have never done anything like this before. I would call myself an experienced amateur and very much a fair weather cyclist.

"I think it will be very tough because there will be hills and wind and it will probably be vile weather.

"They are such good causes though and I am very happy to be able to do something and raise some money."

You can sponsor Joanna at www.justgiving.com/joannasbigride