WHILE many ladies on a hen party would carouse to excess, Vicki Martin will be working up a sweat by doing a half triathlon – in tutus.

The 34-year-old from Calne has persuaded up to ten other friends and acquaintances to join her fitness regime and at the same time raise money for Mencap.

Miss Martin, who lives on the Lansdowne estate, said: “I wanted to do something constructive for my hen do.

“All my friends are married and their hen dos were great fun, but I wanted to do something different.

“Also, a lot of my friends have children and if a hen do was in Spain for three days they couldn’t go and leave their children at home. They could come out for an hour’s training for the triathlon, keep fit and look slim for my wedding. I have lost two stones from running and dieting.”

Miss Martin, who is originally from Bratton and lived in Devizes for several years, has taken part in the Bath Half Marathon and trekked to Mount Everest.

Most of the women joining her have done half marathons or half triathlons before, but not dressed in tutus. They will wear them when cycling and running.

However, she said: “My head bridesmaid Anna Hunt, from Chippenham, thought I was absolutely crazy when I told her what I was doing and thought ‘no way.’ “But after giving it some careful thought, she thought why not and has been very supportive.”

Also joining Miss Martin is her twin sister, Nadine, of Market Lavington, who is her chief bridesmaid.

The event is on July 14 and starts at 8am with a quarter of a mile swim at Westbury Pool, followed by a 14-mile bike ride to the Black Horse pub in Bath Road, Devizes, and finishing off with a four-mile run along the canal towpath to the Bridge Inn at Horton.

Miss Martin, who works as a gilder in Oare, hopes that they will finish about noon.

Following their efforts, a friend will take them on a boat trip to Honeystreet after which they will go home and change and go on to a restaurant in Bath in the evening for a meal.

Miss Martin’s wedding is on August 11 to Donal Behan, a digger driver, in St James Church, Bratton.

The triathlon is raising money for Mencap, which helps people with learning disabilities.

Miss Martin’s cousin, Jonathan Doel, 21, of Westbury has Fragile x syndrome, which means he has the mental age of a child.

He lives as ordinary a life as possible and he goes to college near Yeovil, funded by Mencap. Miss Martin has an online site for donations. Visit www.justgiving.com/ vickimartinhen