TWO intrepid North Yorkshire women are heading for adventures of a lifetime - and raising thousands for charity.

Mags Grice, of York, plans a seven-day hike through rainforest in Costa Rica, while Olivia Anderson, from Gilling East, Pickering, will do a mammoth mountain bike trip through Chile.

Mags is raising money for Macmillan Cancer Relief, while Olivia is riding in the name of RIED, Research Into Eating Disorders.

City of York Council worker Mags said: "Macmillan gave me and my mum fantastic support when my dad was terminally ill 16 years ago, so when I learned I could do something like this for charity it made sense to do it for them."

So far, Mags has raised £1,800 of a £2,500 target for Macmillan. Anyone who would like to sponsor her should phone 01904 613161.

Olivia's trip will see her zig-zagging through 650km of Andean foothills.

The former St Peter's School pupil has to raise £3,000 by December 19, 80 percent of which will go straight back to RIED.

She says: "The reason I chose this was because my friend's sister is anorexic - and a lot of my friends have been affected by it."

Olivia, 24, added: "Everyone knows of someone with an eating disorder, and knows how important it is that we can find some answers."

If you would like to sponsor Olivia's trip, phone 07876 351308.

Updated: 11:56 Monday, November 11, 2002