A HEROIC effort has seen a Wokingham resident become the first disabled female trike cyclist to circumnavigate the entire coastline of Great Britain.

Natalie Wilson, also known as the ‘Zebra On The Bike’, returned to Wokingham on Saturday June 2 after the gargantuan effort, which she took on in the name of charity.

Ms Wilson suffers from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, which is a condition that affects connective tissue, and she explained that she wanted to take on this challenge to show she wasn’t limited by the condition.

She said: “This journey has been very tough but incredible, I took it on to raise awareness of EDS and I’ve encouraged everyone and anyone to join and host me the whole way round. I have made hundreds of new friends all with their own inspiring stories, local communities have rallied round and helped me when I have had problems.

“There is a part of me that wants to cycle the whole route again just to spend time with all the people I have met. There are actually very few people whom have seen the entirety of our British coastline, its beauty, its uniqueness and its people and I feel truly privileged to have been able to push my imperfect body and have this wonderful experience.”

She described the toughest part of her journey, which saw her depart her home in Wokingham in February, as the moment she was faced by the Beast From The East.

She said: “Cycling up the steep coastal 25 per cent gradients in Devon and Cornwall in the snow, one day the temperature dropped to -8 degrees Celsius. When I was really struggling I started making comparisons in my head and realised that what I was doing was much easier and less painful than when I had brain surgery and much easier than some others everyday lives.”

Visit www.zebraonabike.co.uk to donate.