Led by local entrepreneur Jackie Learmonth, the three cyclists completed the gruelling 25 mile sponsored trip from her Kirriemuir pub, the Woodville Inn, to the Ash Bar in Montrose on Scotland's hottest day of the year so far, with the mercury hitting the 20°C mark.

That - coupled with the fact the trio didn't have much in the way of preparation - meant the journey wasn't an easy one, but thankfully for the Kunta Kinteh Nursery School - whose building is crumbling and lacking the most basic of facilities - it was a success.

Jackie only got back on her bike three weeks prior to Monday's fundraising trip, and she said the last ten miles were by far the worst.

She said: "It was sore at the beginning but then it was okay. Then it got really sore at Brechin and from there all the way in.

"Someone actually stopped me in Brechin and offered me £50 if I made it. I didn't think I would, but I managed.

"The worst bit was actually passing my own house – that was agony!"
One disappointment for Jackie and fellow cyclists Mike Cattigan and Aleta Constable was that four people dropped their commitment to complete the trip at the last minute.

However, the sum raised by the trip will be added to the £1,300 raised by Jackie in other events, bringing her grand total so far to £2,800.
To build a new school for the nursery will cost £8,000 though and Jackie's already planned another fundraiser to reach that target.

She will host a special dinner/dance at the Woodville Inn on Saturday, May 24, with music from Montrose band Backtracks.

The event will also see an auction for two special prizes, passes for a four-ball tournament at St Andrew's golf course and two tickets for T in the Park.

Tickets for the dinner/dance are available from the Woodville Inn, from the Ash Bar in Hume Street, Montrose and from Steeplejacks, High Street, Montrose.