A Wildlife fundraiser has called the support her '50 Shades of Green' charity challenge has received less than two weeks after its launch 'amazing'.

Rhiannon Ridgewell is a volunteer for the Cumbria Wildlife Trust at the wildflower nursery at Gosling Sike, Houghton, and has been involved with nature conservation and protection since 1974.

This year marks her 50th year as a volunteer and to mark the milestone she has pledged to cycle 3,500 kilometres and raise £3,500 for her beloved charity.

Rhiannon began this challenge at the beginning of the year and thanks to regular trips into Carlisle and laps around Bitts Park she has already cycled over 160 kilometres and raised over £550.

She said: "Isn't it amazing?

"Yes, I would not have expected to raise so much so quickly, and I have only just started distributing posters and talking to friends, there is much more to come.

"I  can say I have reached 100 miles plus, and am on track, though my bike's odometer decided to cut out in the freezing conditions, and stopped recording, so I have probably done a little more."

Rhiannon is well on track to smash her fundraising target ahead of schedule, however, has already developed a contingency plan that would see her double both of her goals.

In a social media post, she said: "As I may well exceed my target of £3,500, I pledge, that if this happens in under 6 months, I will double the target to £7,000.

"I will also commit to cycling 3,500 miles, instead of kilometers, in the remaining six months."

Rhiannon was also keen to thank Market Street's Bikeseven who gave her bike a free service as their contribution to her '50 Shades of Green' charity challenge. 

Speaking in the New Year, before the start of her fundraising efforts, Rhiannon explained why she wanted to support Cumbria Wildlife Trust. 

She said: "I have been moping about an awful lot recently and I am still moping about and filled with despair and hopelessness and total frustration with how nothing is being done about the state of the world and the planet.

"I thought I needed something positive to focus on.

"This is doing something positive and I am actually quite fired up about it."

You can donate to Rhiannon's '50 Shades of Green' charity challenge HERE