AN INTREPID cyclist has given herself a massive challenge for 2009, by going the extra 5,000 miles for charity.

Ray Horner, 31, has worked in Fukuoka, Japan, for the last eight years and is due to return to Oldham on May 1 this year.

However, having a five-year-old nephew, called Kai, who suffers from the rare skin condition epidermolysis bullosa (EB) she decided to make the journey home really worthwhile.

So, rather than catching a flight, Ray, from Royton, has decided to get on her bike and raise money for research into the condition that results in agonising blisters.

The former pupil of Our Lady’s School, who has been teaching English in Japan, will take on the gruelling Trans-Siberian trip on her own.

She will encounter rugged terrain, extreme poverty and freezing overnight temperatures, but she says her biggest fear is meeting wild bears in Eastern Russia.

She said: "I’ve heard that Russian men are very polite to women. and I hope that’s the case so I’m more worried about the wildlife than people. I’ll be camping and carrying three days’ worth of food in my bike truck and then when I get into Western Europe I should be able to find more places to stay and eat."

Ray is hoping to complete the challenge right up to her front door in Royton.

"I’ll be taking the ferry to Hull and then hopefully going as far as home from there," she explained.

Her aim is to raise money for Debra UK which relies on donations for care for sufferers and research into EB.

Kai has a relatively mild form of the condition but he regularly suffers from blistering.

Ray said: "It’s a charity close to my heart and it just made sense to cycle back to England. I can combine two things I love, riding my bike and seeing new places. And at the same time I can hopefully raise some money."

She expects the epic journey to take four months and when she returns she is looking forward to homemade cheese and onion and steak and kidney pies. She then wants to start a career in the police force.

To sponsor Ray visit justgiving.com/rayhorner