A?CALLINGTON restaurateur is taking up the challenge of a 400-kilometre cycle ride through Indochina.

Gail Buttery is determined to raise thousands of pounds for a charity which researches and promotes education and awareness in women's health.

Gail, who with her husband Anton, runs Langman's Restaurant in Church Street, which has a two star AA rosette, will be leaving for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in Vietnam on November 18 to join 100 other ladies from the UK organisation of Women for Women.

Gail's five-day ride will see her cycle from Ho Chi Minh City past villages, temples and green paddy fields through to the breathtaking city of Angkor Wat and on over the border into Cambodia.

This is the fourth such Women for Women cycle trek Gail has been involved in — last year she did a similar ride in China.

Her efforts over the years have seen her raise around £12,000 for the Genesis Research Trust — chaired by the esteemed Professor Lord Robert Winston.?It aims to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of distressing conditions such as premature birth, miscarriage, cancer, genetic diseases and brain damage.

Gail, 57, said that although she is very fortunate to be a parent herself she 'could not imagine what it would be like for those many women who desperately wanted a child and for some reason could not have one'.

She said: 'This bike ride is going to be a very challenging event, what with the state of the road surfaces, the heat and humidity, and the traffic in places.

'We will also be staying at basic, cheap accommodation to help make sure expenses are low and as much money as possible goes to the trust. It's not glamourous and no picnic — it will be really hard work.'

Although she has reached the target of £3,300 needed to take part she is hoping that more will come in to boost the total.

She added: 'Anton has been really supportive, helping raise money through holding lunches at the restaurant.

'People in Callington and our customers have also been very supportive — without the local community's backing it would not have been possible.'

If you would like to donate please call Gail on 01579 384933; email [email protected]">[email protected] or make a cheque out to the Genesis Research Trust and send it to Langman's Restaurant, 3, Church Street, Callington, PL17 7RE.