A MUM-OF-THREE is getting on her bike and joining a legion of 99 pedalling women on a Cuban charity odyssey.

Sue Cox is focusing on shedding the pounds to be ready for a women-only 230-mile challenge across the Caribbean island.

She will cycle over the tough terrain, which includes a mountain, during five days in November.

Sue, 47, of Portland, plans to raise £3,000 for the Women to Women charity, which funds medical research.

The cause is important to her because her daughter, now 21, was treated at Salisbury Hospital for a facial deformity.

Sue, who works for Dorset County Council, said: "We had a lot of help from the medical staff there and that's something I won't forget.

"I've been talking about taking part for some time and now I'm actually doing it."

Sue has already made contact with some of the other 98 women who are taking part in the Cycle Cuba challenge.

She said: "There's a forum set up on the Internet for it and I've already been speaking to some of the other women.

"I'm a bit nervous about it, but we are all going to be in the same boat and we will all be encouraging each other and I think it will be really fun."

Sue is now frantically pedalling her way round Portland and Weymouth in training for the challenge.

But she will be swapping her cycling gear for a cocktail dress to host a casino evening in order to boost her sponsorship fund.

The evening, to be held at the Royal Dorset Yacht Club on June 14 from 7.30pm, will feature games of poker, roulette and blackjack.

Tickets, costing £20, will buy each guest £100-worth of chips and a free cocktail.

Visit www.justgiving.com/susancox to sponsor Sue and call 01305 221239 or 860179 to buy tickets for the casino evening.