A teenager who is visually impaired is to ride to Paris for charity.

Tenacious 19-year-old Brittany Stead is gearing up for the 284-mile ride from London, which she hopes will raise £5,000 for Huddersfield’s Tandem Trekkers, a life-changing blind cycling project.

Setting off on July 28, the Brighouse High School student, who can now only perceive light, will ride on a tandem bicycle for four days with a Tandem Trekkers volunteer Jeannie Gough-Daniel, 57, riding on the front seat.

Averaging over 70 miles a day, the pair will stop over in Calais, Arras and Compiègne before arriving at the Eiffel Tower and have already raised over £600 for their efforts.

It is the latest challenge for Brittany, of Cleckheaton, who also enjoys running and swimming as well as being a member of Great Britain Women’s Goalball team.

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She is one of dozens of people from the area who enjoy Tandem Trekkers’ weekly rides at either the Leeds Road Sports Complex or on local cycle routes.

The club was started by Kirklees Visual Impairment Network in 2014.

She said: “This charity is unique as it enables blind and partially sighted people, like myself, to cycle, whatever their abilities.

“For many visually impaired or blind people, riding a bike is very daunting, especially if they have been through sight loss.

“Tandem Trekkers provides us with the opportunity to ride and train on different cycle trails, track sessions and take part in exciting activities such as attending a velodrome session.

Visually impaired Brighouse High School student Brittany Stead, who is to cycle tandem from London to Paris for Kirklees Visual Impairment Network's Tandem Trekkers cycling project. She is pictured with Jennifer Davies, Revell Ward Director, who presented her with a £600 cheque

“I have been a member of Tandem Trekkers for one year and want to help ensure that they have sufficient funds to continue their growth and offer more opportunities.

“It is a wonderful cycling group.”

The cycle ride is a step up for Brittany, who last year cycled the 170 mile Way of the Roses coast to coast route with other West Yorkshire Goalball players.

She has been riding a bicycle since she was a child.

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“I was born with very limited vision and no option was provided for corrective surgery. “Throughout my childhood, I was able to see two metres in front of me with my right eye and one metre with my left.

“I was able to ride a solo bike alongside my older sister, Bethany but this became no longer possible three years ago when I started to rapidly and unexpectedly lose my vision due to several eye conditions.

“I found it incredibly difficult to adapt and come to terms with the sudden loss of sight but in my last year of high school I was bought a tandem to tryout with my teaching assistant in PE lessons around the school premises, which was fantastic.

“I enjoyed being part of a team and it led me to cycle the coast to coast.”

To donate to Brittany’s cause, go to https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/brittany-stead