AN adventurous horse rider from Westbury is setting off on a 17-mile charity trek next week.

Angie Old will join more than 200 others who are taking part in the Strongid-P Ridgeway ride in aid of Spinal Research, which starts on Thursday.

She said: "I'm looking forward to it. It is for a good cause and if the weather is good it will be a nice day in beautiful countryside."

Ms Old, 39, will be riding her own horse across the Ridgeway, which runs from Wiltshire to Buckinghamshire.

She was inspired to do the ride by a friend's brother who was paralysed in a diving accident.

The ride marks the second year of Spinal Research's Saddle-up campaign, which has been set up by horse riders to help raise the £3m a year needed for the charity to get clinical trials of new treatments for spinal injuries up and running by 2005.

Ms Old will be accompanied by some of the country's leading equestrian celebrities, including World Equestrian Games medallist, Mary King and Ginny Elliott, who is patron of Spinal Research.

Ms Old has already raised over £100 and anyone who wishes to sponsor her can call (01373) 823730.