Paralysed woman to take on motorbike road race challenge

Claire Lomas had never ridden a motorcycle prior to her accident

A woman who is paralysed from the chest down has challenged herself to ride a superbike around a nine-mile road race course.

Claire Lomas, from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, was paralysed in a horse riding accident in 2007.

She is set to take on a lap of the North West 200 race course in Northern Ireland on 11 May.

The 43-year-old, who completed the 2012 London Marathon in a robotic suit, has raised more than £850,000 for charity.

Mrs Lomas' latest challenge aims to raise funds for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation (NSIF).

Mrs Lomas was awarded an MBE in 2017 for her fundraising efforts

Mrs Lomas suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung, a broken neck, a broken back, and the spinal cord injury that left her paralysed.

Her motorbike has been adapted with straps stopping her knees from flapping in the wind and toe clips securing her feet to foot plates.

She said: "Straight after my accident, I thought life was pretty much over.

"Then I started to explore what I was able to do and found new doors to open, but I never thought I would be riding a powerful motorbike around the roads in Northern Ireland.

"It's both scary and exciting in equal measure."

The mother-of-two will take on the route, which connects the towns of Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine, in between two professional superbike races.

A specialist shifter allows her to change gears using only her hands

She had never ridden a motorbike prior to her accident and since learning has limited her outings to tracks like Donington Park.

"I've only ever been around a track, so to be riding on the road will be very different for me," she added.

"The road will be a lot bumpier, there's curbs and there will be thousands of people watching - it's going to be an incredible challenge.

"I am very honoured to have been given the opportunity to take it on."