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She captured the hearts of the nation when she miraculously crossed the finish line of the London Marathon by using bionic legs.
And now Claire Lomas plans to captivate Briton's once more - by cycling from Paris to London.
Despite not being able to move her legs she will cover the 250 mile ride on a special bike which uses electrical pulses to stimulate her muscles, forcing her to pedal.
Claire Lomas on her exercise bike at ;home in Melton, Mowbray. She is hoping to ride from Paris to London next Spring, despite being paralysed
Miss Lomas, who was left paralysed from the waist down following a horse-riding accident which severed her spinal cord, will once again be accompanied by her husband Dan.
'It is going to be really hard work but it is going to be very different to doing the marathon,' said the 31-year-old to the Sunday Telegraph. 'For the marathon I didn't have to be super fit as the pace was so slow in the robot.'
Miss Lomas, who is a mother to one-year-old Maisie, said she is concerned about not being able to tackle hills but has been using an indoor bike to train and is looking forward to being able to cycle outdoors.
In April this year she was joined by her husband, a research biologist, and tiny daughter for every step of the London Marathon, which took her two and a half weeks to complete.
Miss Lomas, of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, managed to raise more than 200,000 for Spinal Research and attracted world wide attention during the challenge.
Aching with pain and struggling to stay upright she crossed the finish line a gruelling 16 days after she first started.
Hundreds gathered to watch Claire as she completed her challenge in London
A delighted Claire, who was supported by her husband Dan all the way, plants a kiss on daughter Maisie
People across the country were outraged when organisers refused to honour her achievement with an official medal because she did not finish within 24 hours.
Instead, 14 of her fellow runners, who were so inspired by her efforts donated theirs.
Miss Lomas was overwhelmed by support during her efforts and said it inspired her to think of something else to do for charity.
Her legs will be strapped into the special Functional Electrical Stimulation Bike, which is actually a tricycle, and electrodes will be attached to her thighs and connected to an electrical stimulator.
A computer, activated with the push of a button, will control the muscles in her legs and cause them to produce a pedalling motion.
Claire, pictured in her wheelchair with Maisie, will use a special tricycle to help her complete the ride from Paris to London
A throttle in the handle will also manage the intensity of the stimulation and the speed of the pedalling.
As part of her training Miss Lomas will take part in an outdoor ride from Glasgow later this month and hopes to complete her challenge from Paris to London in the Spring of next year.
She has said that although she gets help with pedalling from the electrical stimulation, it is still tiring for her.
'The signals from my brain can't get down my spinal cord because of my injury so they don't reach my legs, so the pads put an electrical signal straight into the muscles to make them contract. They still need oxygen and it requires cardiovascular fitness,' she said.
Great News For Vauxhall In Britain - PRLog (free press release)
Vauxhall dealer group – Northern Motors – with branches located in Harrow, Ruislip and Watford are delighted with Vauxhall’s recent announcement that the next-generation Astra compact car will continue to be built at the manufacturing plant, Ellesmere Port, in Cheshire. In future, Ellesmere Port will be the lead plant of only two in Europe building the new model.
The decision follows the conclusion of a groundbreaking new labour agreement recently approved by the Vauxhall workforce. The agreement comes into force in 2013 and runs through the life of the next-generation Astra – into the early 2020’s. As part of the agreement, the plant will implement a number of creative operating solutions to improve flexibility, reduce fixed-costs and significantly improve its competitiveness. Ellesmere Port plant will become one of the most competitive plants in the Vauxhall/Opel manufacturing network.
In addition to creation of 700 plus jobs, Vauxhall will create investment locally via use of local suppliers and in the UK overall.
Vauxhall Chairman and Managing Director, Duncan Aldred, said: “This is great news for the Ellesmere Port plant, our employees, the local community, our suppliers, the Vauxhall brand and the UK. We have been able to develop a responsible labour agreement that secures the plant’s future.
With Ellesmere Port’s proven build quality and a new agreement that ensures excellent cost competitiveness, this facility will provide additional employment and, as the lead plant for the next-generation Astra, will be one of the cornerstones of our European manufacturing footprint.”
In 2007, Ellesmere Port became the first UK manufacturing plant to receive the Energy Efficiency Accreditation and in 2010 became the first European manufacturing plant to achieve the Wildlife Habitat Accreditation.
For further information, visit www.northernmotors.co.uk, www.facebook.com/
Andy White, Sales Manager at Northern Motors Watford, tel: 01923 813000
Derek Williams, Sales Manager at Northern Motors Harrow, tel: 0208 427 4444.
Eye-catching new cable car over the Thames set to be ready in time for London Olympics - Daily Mail
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An impressive new 50 million cable car system that will give tourists panoramic views over the River Thames in London is set to be ready in time for the Olympics, it has been revealed.
It was feared that the network would be not be finished in time for the start of the Games on July 27 but an application for final approval has been received by Transport Secretary Justine Greening.
Eye-catching feature: The 50 million cable car system will be the first of its kind in the UK
Security checks have been carried out in the past few weeks and it is understood that the Department for Transport will soon give the project the green light.
It means that spectators will be able to use the cable cars to travel between two of the Games venues - the 02 Arena on the south bank of the Thames and the ExCel exhibition centre in east London.
The Emirates-sponsored transport will be the first urban cable car system of its kind in the UK.
The gondolas, which will travel 160 feet above the river, are due to be an eye-catching feature, but are also seen as a vital cross-Thames link in east London and part of the drive to regenerate the local economy.
Vital link: Spectators will be able to use the cable cars to travel between two of the Olympic Games venues
There will be 34 gondolas carrying 2,500 passengers an hour across the river between Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks in just five minutes.
It is not yet known how much a trip on the cable car will cost, but Transport for London has said travellers will be able to pay by Oyster, the pay-as-you go card which already functions on London buses, underground trains and the Docklands Light Railway.
Mayor Boris Johnson has refused to confirm whether the project will be open to the public during the Games, however he said: 'Gliding serenely through the air across the Thames will provide a truly sublime, bird's eye view of our wonderful city.
'This innovative airborne travel link will be a vital component in the ongoing renaissance of a vibrant easterly quarter of the Capital, providing a much-needed river crossing.'
Easing congestion: The 34 gondolas will be able to carry up to 2,500 people an hour across the river in each direction
The consortium to build and operate the cable car was led by Mace, whose past projects include the London Eye and the Shard Tower in London.
The cost of the cable car was originally estimated at around 25m and it was intended to be funded entirely by private investors.
But, despite a 10-year sponsorship deal with the Dubai-based airline Emirates worth 36m, public money was needed to make up the shortfall.
London now joins cities including Barcelona, Cologne, Hong Kong, Lisbon, New York and Singapore which all operate cable car systems.
I think that the majority of us would have just given up. Keep up the good work.
- Ted, Teddington, 18/6/2012 10:57
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