An Onchan race walker has raised more than £2,000 for charity after she cycled the Parish Walk route in memory of a friend.

Angie Robinson pedalled to all 17 parish churches as part of the 85-mile route on a mountain bike that she bought for £50 on a Facebook buy and sell page shortly before the event.

The bike was decorated with blue and yellow pom poms - the colours of her chosen charity, Hospice Isle of Man.

She managed to complete the route in 7 hours and 53 minutes and raised £2,200.

This year’s Parish Walk was meant to take place on June 20.

However, the event was cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The 2016 Parish Walk finisher was inspired to undertake the challenge nonetheless but on a set of wheels in memory of her friend, Teri Waddington, who sadly died at the age of 53 after a ’very brave and dignified battle with cancer’ on May 13.

Angie first met Teri in 2014 when she decided she would like to take on the Parish Walk in tribute to her father.

Friend and Parish Walk winner Michael George suggested that she walked with his wife Irene and Teri, wife of Jock Waddington who has won the Parish Walk on four occasions.

’They inspired me to believe that I could do it.

’In 2015 I got to Bride and the following year I finished,’ Angie said.

Feeling prompted to do something in Teri’s memory, she decided to raise funds for Hospice which had been of great support to Teri and her family.

Her initial fundraising target was £500, which was met in only a couple of days.

Angie spent five weeks training for her mission and she received a cycling outfit donated by Cycle 360 to ensure that her journey was a comfortable one.

’The day was full of laughter and humour.

’We had to tape my pedal up further in Ballasalla as it had snapped in the training runs,’ she said.

Support driver and training partner, Rob Clynes, said: ’Angie was magnificent on the day, she rode the whole 85 miles with a big smile on her face and managed to chat to the dozens of well wishers who were out on the route to cheer her on.

’The most impressive thing was that Angie completed all the big Parish climbs without once stopping, including the famous Sloc and the hills at Ballajora and Hibernia which come after having already cycled 68 miles.’

Angie also made sure she stopped off in Peel for some chips and later in Andreas for an afternoon tea.

Jock, who started Angie off at the NSC on June 20, also met her at the finish line where she was given a special medal of a cyclist and certificate made by Rob.

She has been overwhelmed by the support from others in her challenge.

’I just loved it,’ she said. ’It was such a great little community event and it was wonderful being able to do the whole thing on the bike and being able to compare it to walking.’

Angie’s challenge has inspired her to sign up for the Cyclefest in August this year.

See her Parish cycle donation page by searching: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/angie-robinson3?