YORK health visitor Kitty Lamb, above, is using pedal power to raise money for specialist cancer nurses in the city and thank them for the care they gave her brother before he died.

Kitty, of Naburn, has worked with Macmillan nurses - funded by Macmillan Cancer Relief - through her job at Petergate Surgery. But she also has personal experience of the service the charity provides.

Now she is taking part in a 600km sponsored cycle through Cambodia to raise £3,000 for the Macmillan York Appeal, which was launched last June to raise £400,000 to fund three new Macmillan posts for the York area.

Kitty said: "My brother, Tom, had multiple myeloma and died just before Christmas. He was very grateful to the Macmillan nurses.

"From working with them in a professional capacity I am very aware of the wonderful work they do, so taking on a life-changing challenge is my way of giving something back and supporting the Macmillan York Appeal."

The 12-day challenge involves cycling from the gulf of Thailand through the hot and dusty heart of rural Cambodia, towards the temples in Angkor Wat, the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire.

Alex Emsley, Macmillan's York Appeal Co-ordinator, said: "Kitty has come up with an ingenious idea to raise money. She has been giving all her friends, family, and colleagues a tube of a well-known York-based sweetie - inviting them to eat the sweets and fill the tube with 20 pence pieces. To sponsor Kitty, or for more details, phone Alex Emsley on 01904 756402.

Updated: 09:37 Thursday, May 15, 2003