A WELL-KNOWN former North Yorkshire resident has returned to the county on horseback, as part of a 600-mile charity challenge.

Annette Howard, the former wife of Castle Howard owner Simon Howard, started riding in Edinburgh on May 3, and is now halfway towards arriving in London on May 27, hopefully having raised £30,000 for Macmillan Cancer Relief.

"It all started while I was in Vietnam last year and I noticed how breathtaking the scenery was," said Annette.

"I thought I'd love to ride the length and breadth of England and my sister suggested I do it for charity.

"I've always been very supportive of Macmillan and the nurses were brilliant when Daddy had a cancer-related disease.

"I've tried to find a local person to ride with me every day to help with map reading, and I've got a wonderful support team."

The task, which has taken a year to organise, keeps Annette in the saddle between six and eight hours a day.

On her most difficult day, she fell off her horse twice, but she has marvelled at the scenery she has seen along the way.

She said: "The ride over the North York Moors was amazing. It was absolutely wonderful and we've been very lucky with the weather, only half-an-hour of rain in two weeks."

Since leaving Castle Howard, Annette, who now lives in London, has been busy with her interior decorating business, and is currently working on a project in Hampshire.

"I'm happy there with my horses," she said.

"I miss my friends in North Yorkshire, but I come back and see them as often as I can.

"I'm not bitter about what happened. It was three years ago now and I've moved on. I'm happy with my lot."

Updated: 10:44 Tuesday, May 18, 2004