DAREDEVIL Clare Rabone is gearing up for a gruelling trek across the Andes - despite having just broken her ankle in two places.

The determined York woman will hike 58-miles through Peru in nine months to raise cash for a mental health charity.

But her leg will be in plaster for at least the next six weeks, after the start of a rigorous training regime ended in a painful cycling accident.

She broke her ankle in two places and needed an operation - and now admits it will be a "huge challenge" to make it to South America.

Clare, who works as a manager for York-based travel company Great Rail Journeys, said today: "The doctors say it could be months before I feel comfortable walking on it again."

The 29-year-old, who lives in the Bootham area, said: "I have only nine months before I fly out to Peru, and I have to go through a tough training schedule before that.

"I've got physio now before I can start training. It's going to be a huge challenge to overcome everything and make it out there."

Clare came out of hospital on Monday night and is now walking with crutches and has a purple pot on her injured leg.

Medics told her fulfilling her Andes ambition will be hard work - but they said they saw no reason why the ankle break should scupper her adventure.

When finally in Peru, Clare will not only be trekking through mountains for up to eight hours a day, but will face extremes of altitude and climate.

Temperatures in the Andes range from a scorching 35C in the day to as low as -10C at night, a problem compounded by high physical exertion at altitudes of up to 14,700 feet.

As well as meeting demanding physical targets, Clare needs to raise at least £2,600 in sponsorship for Mind, the UK's mental health charity.

So far, she is about 25 per cent of the way towards this target.

Donations to Mind can be made via Clare's fundraising website, www.justgiving.com/clareinperu

Updated: 10:35 Friday, August 26, 2005