TWO women from Sutton upon Derwent took part in the London to Amsterdam Cycle Challenge, raising £3,000 for the National Autistic Society (NAS).

Kate Lovett and best friend Alison Armstrong, both 49, completed the 320km event in three days, alongside 11 other riders.

They hope the money they raised will help the NAS to support more families living with autism, a lifelong condition which affects more than 1 in 100 people in the UK.

including Two of Kate’s three sons, Harry, 13, and Charlie, 15, are autistic and have limited communication skills and social understanding which affects every part of their lives.

They attend a specialist school with a residential service, which meets their needs and offers Kate and her family some vital respite.

Kate and Alison met 12 years ago when their eldest sons were at primary school together.

They’ve been good friends ever since but have become even closer while training for the London to Amsterdam cycle ride.

If anyone wants to sponsor Kate and Alison, visit their Just Giving page, which can be found online by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/Alison-Armstrong2/