A WOMAN who beat death twice and won international sporting medals is preparing for her latest challenge.

Jannine Church, from Nether Poppleton, survived a fall of 1,300 feet from a mountain in Scotland in 2000, and suffered a broken back, and severe head and brain injuries, but later made a full recovery.

Last year, after she began feeling unwell, doctors discovered she had developed a brain tumour roughly the size of an apple, and she underwent an operation to remove most of it.

In July, the 53-year-old travelled to the US to compete in the Warrior Games, winning three golds in the women’s 800m, 200m and 100m track events, and placed fourth in a cycling event - and she is now preparing to raise money for the Royal British Legion by taking part in a sponsored cycle from London to Paris, leaving on August 31.

Jannine, who has two children, said: "I'm really looking forward to it, and I have been training, but I think because of the school holidays I can feel time ebbing away slightly so I think if I did something next year, I would do it in July rather than September.

"I was doubting myself over the hills because it's a bit flat round here to prepare properly. It will be great fun meeting 300 strangers and chatting en route, and it gives you the opportunity to help people who may be struggling."

The charity bike ride is also the only cycling event apart from the Tour de France which will see the Arc De Triomphe close to traffic, and Jannine said she was confident in her ability to complete the challenge, which will run over four days with daily distances ranging between 100km and 129 km.

Jannine said: "It should be fairly straightforward, but I didn't even look at the route. If I can get up the white horse hill at Sutton Bank - and I know I can get up that - I can get up anything.

"The distance isn't going to be a problem. There was another one from York to Paris, but I chose to do this for the Royal British Legion as it has rolling roadblocks so we don't have to navigate which is always handy if you just want to get on your bike and ride."

As confident as she was about her cycling ability however, following training rides in recent weeks of up to 90 miles at a time, Jannine said there was one logistical problem she had not quite figured out yet.

She said: "I've also got to figure out how to put a posh frock in a rucksack and get it out looking half reasonable for the big dinner at the end of the challenge."

To sponsor Jannine in her cycling challenge, and support the Royal British Legion, go to justgiving.com/fundraising/abigredpoppy