After weeks of cycling everywhere, trying to find the perfect bike, and strenuous fundraising efforts, two Norwich friends completed their 100-mile 'Tour de Norfolk'.

Former Notre Dame High School student Charlotte Rye, 23, from Earlham Road in Norwich, and her friend Rob Harber, 25, from Newmarket Road, completed the 100-mile cycle ride from Norwich, around the north Norfolk coast, and back to their home in the city in six hours and 50 minutes.

And on the same day that the 100 miles were completed, their �1,000 fundraising target was met too.

The money will go to Raleigh International, a charity which works abroad helping individuals to make a difference in rural communities and environments.

In October Miss Rye, an economics graduate, will be flying to Nicaragua in central America to help develop some of the rural communities there.

Miss Rye said she 'loved' the ride, and was surprised at how much easier it was than she thought it would be.

She said: 'Knowing I was cycling 100 miles made me pace myself a lot more, and in a way felt a lot easier than the previous 30 miles I had done before.'

The route went from Norwich, to Reepham, Salthouse for lunch, Cromer, Coltishall and back to Norwich - and they caught some heavy storms along the way.

Miss Rye added: 'We finished the ride in a shorter time than expected, despite the heavy rain. When we were cycling back through Norwich I felt a real sense of achievement.'

Her friend, Naomi Shelton, a trainee lawyer from Drayton, gave the team support along the way as well as selling cupcakes to make more money for the charity.

Miss Shelton, 23, who made �50 for the charity, said: 'I couldn't believe how generous the people were along the journey. We are all so proud of Charlotte.'

Mr Harber, a chef at the Mulberry pub on Unthank Road, will be donating a portion of his sponsorship to the Big C centre and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, where his mum is a volunteer.

Mr Harber said: 'I am very proud that Charlotte did it and in a lot quicker time than planned.

'We did 80 miles of the tour cycling away from the storm, and nearly beat it. People think that Norfolk is flat, but it's not when you do 100 miles on a fixed-gear bike!'

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