Horse rider with Down's syndrome helps save club

Rebecca Iles on her favourite horse, Bonnie, and her mum Sarah Iles

A horse rider with Down's syndrome has helped to raise enough money to keep the riding club she has been attending for 22 years open for the next year.

Rebecca Iles, from North Somerset, raised around £2,500 for the Claverham and Winford Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) by taking part in an activities day.

The charity branch said it had struggled over the summer as it had needed to buy extra food for the ponies due to a shortage of grass in the fields caused by hot weather.

Ms Iles, 26, said: "I come away from the sessions feeling so calm - it's what I love. I am so happy when I'm there and it helps me to be fitter and stronger."

The fundraising day started with a swim, followed by a dance class, a boxing session, a bike ride with friends and family and a pony ride.

Ms Iles, from Portishead, said: "My friends, mum's friends, dad's friends - everyone has sponsored me. I loved it. Thank you to everyone who has sponsored me."

The national RDA supports more than 39,000 disabled children and adults every year.

Each branch is economically separate from the overall RDA, which means they have to keep the local association afloat themselves.

Sarah Iles, Ms Iles' mum, became a committee member and trustee at the Claverham and Winford branch a few years ago.

She said: "Our founder, Rita Lewis, has always tried to make it something that's affordable for people - for many years she ran it without charging riders at all."

Mrs Iles added: "The money Rebecca's raised is going to make them feel a lot more comfortable going into the next year or two to continue into the future."

Ms Iles thanked all the people who supported her during the fundraising day

Rita Lewis, 88, has been running the branch for 44 years.

She said it was always struggling for money but Ms Iles' fundraising had turned the club around for the next 12 months.

She said: "It's just incredible - I've known Rebecca since she was four. She's always been the person that has achieved everything she's wanted in life.

"It's been absolutely marvellous of Rebecca and her mother, Sarah."