A WIRRAL woman is to join former F1 World Champion Mika Häkkinen on a bike ride from Tuscany to Monaco to help disabled children.

40-year-old hair-stylist Carrie-Anne Shirley will be taking part in the gruelling 200 mile challenge to raise vital funds for Caudwell Children, a national charity that provides practical and emotional support to disabled children and their families. 

Despite lacking experience in road cycling she is confident that she will complete the challenge which will take place from Friday, September 22 to Sunday, September 24.

Carrie-Anne told the Globe: “I only started road cycling in March of this year and I’ve done little training on the road.

“However, I’ve done a static ride of 100 miles. Although it was tiring I completed the ride in good time and I’ve been told static riding can be more difficult than actually riding.”

Carrie-Anne will be joined on the event, organised by the former Lithuanian Olympic cyclist Modesta Vzesniauskait, by her partner Richard Fowles, 49, from Chester.

She added: “We did do some actual hill work at the end of last month, around the Horseshoe Pass in Llangollen, Wales, in preparation for the terrain that we will be taking on during the challenge.”   

The pair hope to smash their £5,000 fundraising target.

Challenge events manager for Caudwell Children Kirsten Greaves said: “It’s a calf burning 200 mile route through the beautiful, undulating, Italian countryside before crossing the finish line in the stunning principality of Monaco, on the French Riviera.

“In-between there will be rolling, hilly, landscapes surrounded by majestic Cypress trees.

"The three days of cycling will see participants, including our celebrity supporter Mika Häkkinen, covering 73, 85 and 69 miles respectively and on their final day they will have to overcome strong coastal winds.

"So it won’t be an easy challenge."

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Richard-Fowles2