Cycling has “taken over” one woman’s life in her bid to fundraise following her father’s sudden death.

Bethany Aston had “no interest” in cycling until her cycling-obsessed dad Peter Aston passed away just nine short weeks after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Losing her “avid cyclist” father only last December, Bethany had a bike of his propped in her lounge when she suddenly had an idea - to follow his trail by cycling 340 miles from London to Paris to raise money for the Brain Tumour Charity.

Bethany, a 28-year-old post clerk from Dolgellau, said: “The day my dad died I expected there to be an audible earth-shattering tear as my heart broke.

"Instead there was a numbness, a treacle-like apathy seeping into me with nowhere to go.

"I'm still not sure what to do with myself a lot of the time but one of my dad's bikes sat in the lounge gave me the idea- it might be a silly and potentially very painful bum-numbing one but this cycle is for my dad, those living with brain tumours, and their loved ones.

"We never got the chance to fight dad's tumour but The Brain Tumour Charity is the world's leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally to give others time we didn’t get.”

Fundraising and training since January, she has already exceeded her target by 50 per cent, reaching £2,951, but aims to keep going - starting the biggest challenge of her life on 5 June.

She said: “I knew training would be hard but finding the motivation to get out a ride through the terrible weather has been by far the biggest challenge.

“Cycling has taken over my life- if I'm not on my bike, I'm planning a ride or watching cycling videos.

“I am looking forward to getting it underway and reaching the Eiffel Tower- I'm sure my dad would be very proud of my efforts so far and I know I'll be in for an emotional ride.”

To donate, go to her JustGiving page.