An Essex woman has set a new record for cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats on a trike.

Jane Moore, from Witham, completed the 849 mile feat in three days, 16 hours, 45 minutes and 21 seconds – including stops to sleep and eat.

The feat, as the first woman to ride the route on a trike, has been verified by the Road Records Association.

Jane, a former gymnast who had her legs re-built 20 years ago after a serious injury, said she could not have completed the challenge without the aid of her support crew and organiser Mark Brooking, from Willesden Cycling Club.

The former ultra-marathon runner who took up cycling in 2000, said: “I got to Scotland in under 46 hours, and when it was first suggested to me I could get that far in less than two days I thought they were off their heads.

“We had quite a lot of torrential rain and it was really quite cold, despite it being August.

“But people were brilliant, and through towns people would come out to marshall me so I didn’t get lost. It was good to have people as it was a very lonely ride, with the support car having to be 100 yards behind me and not being allowed to ride with anyone else.

“Endurance has always been my strong point, I am useless over short distances – by the time it is over I wake up.

“I am quite an emotional person and I was really worried I was going to lose it at the end. So when I saw the sign with 13 miles to go I treated it as a time trial.

“But I did burst into tears when the first person hugged me as I crossed the finish line, with relief I think. After that I was shell-shocked.”

Jane, 47, was also helped through the ordeal by sponsorship from Witham physiotherapist firm Cross Purposes, who sponsored who to have treatment throughout the ride to help her legs.

Jane is a web editor at the Local Government Association when she is not racing through the streets on a bike or trike.

She was convinced to do the ride when in 2011 her friend Mark brought round a trike which had been sitting his shed unused for a decade, as a joke. Jane started riding it, and when he mentioned there was no record she was hooked on the idea.

Jane, originally from South Africa, said: “Trikes are very difficult when you are used to bikes, and contrary to popular belief they are quite easy to tip over if you don’t get it right. You have to look out for camber, and find three tracks rather than one.

“Trikes are rare but a woman on a trike is even more rare. But maybe there are some youngsters who will take it on.

“I hope this makes other people realise this is possible. You don’t need to be a professional athlete to do it, and you don’t have to be 20.”