TWO women who cycled from Tavistock to Saltram House and back have raised more than £700 in sponsorship for the Salvation Army.

Mary Budge and Major Pam Smith, of the Tavistock corps of the Salvation Army, set off from Tavistock in glorious weather on Tuesday morning last week.

Their sponsored cycle ride took them along the Drake’s Trail route through Yelverton, past the hamlet of Clearbrook on the edge of Dartmoor, through the Plym Valley and into Saltram Park.

The route, of around 20 miles each way, was a big achievement for Major Pam, whose title reflects her status as the ‘priest’ of the Salvation Army corps in Tavistock. Not a regular cyclist, she volunteered for the ride to support Mary.

Mary said: ‘I was going to do the ride on my own and then Major Pam said “can I come with you?” and I said “yes please!”

‘I’m ever so thrilled that we’ve raised as much as we have. It was a wonderful day, really tremendous, and we had a wonderful send off from Tavistock when we set off in the morning.’

She thanked their many sponsors. Half of the money raised will go towards helping slum children in Delhi, India through NGO World Vision India and half will go to the Tavistock corps, to fund good works.