ARMY Reservist Susanne Slade took on the ride of her life when she cycled from Edinburgh to London.

The 24-year-old from Royal Wootton Bassett completed the 500-mile challenge in aid of national Armed Forces charity, the SSAFA.

Susanne was met by a cheering crowd of friends and family on Sunday as she crossed the finish line among the poppies at the Tower of London at the Ride of Britain.

She joined a team of intrepid cyclists, including other serving personnel, veterans and civilians when they set off from the historic Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh last Wednesday on a route inspired by the British leg of the Tour de France.

On top of the physical challenge, Susanne pledged to raise more than £1,300 for the SSAFA.

To date she has raised £939.80, and she is hoping that people will continue to support her efforts.

She said: “Last year, nine members of my squadron deployed to Afghanistan.

“This was obviously a tense time for the whole squadron, but even more so for their families.

“It’s at times like these that you realise how important charities like SSAFA are, not only to support our service personnel, but also to support their families.

“Luckily, our guys all came back safe and there were no welfare issues, but I wanted to do my bit to make sure that the support of SSAFA is always there for anyone that may need them.”