A CARE home manager’s epic 1,000 mile charity cycling challenge came a cropper when she hit a pothole just SEVEN miles in.

Becky Dunn, who is the manager of Anchor Lodge, in Cliff Parade, Walton, was due to ride the mammoth distance across

13 weeks to raise much-needed cash for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Working in a dementia specialist home, Mrs Dunn sees the heavy toll exacted by the condition every day.

She set off on November 1 in the hopes of pedalling a gruelling 80 miles every week even though she admitted to only cycling about six miles a year.

But she had not bargained on the uneven terrain conspiring against her.

Supporter and colleague Kevin Barker said: “Sadly, having cycled the first seven of her 1,000 miles of her challenge Becky encountered one of Tendring’s many potholes and was thrown from her bicycle.

“After assistance from passing dog walkers Becky was able to get home.”

But determined Becky is not going to give up.

Mr Barker said: “Apart from the physical scars and the dents to her pride and her bicycle, Becky is hoping to be back in the saddle and able to continue her challenge.”

Mrs Dunn was cycling along Clacton seafront on the first day of her challenge when she struck the pothole.

She had hoped to cycle from her home, in St Osyth, to the care home and back four days a week.

Instead she was left on crutches waiting to hear the full extent of the damage.

She said: “I found out I had damaged a joint between my tibia and fibula.

“I couldn’t stand up when it happened, but thankfully I was found by a couple of lovely dog walkers and an ambulance was called.

“It was absolutely pouring down, so the pothole was covered in water - I didn’t see it.

“I knew potholes were an issue in Tendring but I hadn’t realised how serious an issue there are until I was flying through the air.

“I can laugh now, but I certainly wasn’t at the time.”

The injury has done nothing to dent her enthusiasm, and Mrs Dunn is making progress with a programme of physiotherapy.

She will use an exercise bike as she recovers to continue to clock up the miles.

Despite the damage to her leg, she is determined to do her bit in the fight against dementia

She said: “We see on a daily basis how hard it is to deal with and what affect it has on people’s lives.

“Unless we take some steps and start supporting research now, we are never going to get a cure.

“I have now got to the stage where I can use an exercise bike.

“There was seven days where I couldn’t cycle at all and I was supposed to be averaging 25 miles a day, so I am behind but this will not stop me.”

“Everyone has been so supportive and I feel like I will let everyone down if I stop.

“It really does highlight what is clearly a serious issue with unmaintained potholes.”

An Essex Highways spokesperson said:  “We are sorry to hear this and wish the lady injured a quick recovery.

“Unfortunately no highway authority can ever guarantee absolutely flat roads everywhere, potholes do form although we do our best to spot, log and fix them as quickly as we possibly can with the resources available.

“On Marine Parade West, Clacton, we carried out patching work at the end of October, we put in a new gully (drain) cover in July and two other potholes were fixed in June.

"On Marine Parade East, in October, we carried out pre-patching to level and prepare the road before it is due to be Surface Dressed next summer, although two gullies are still to be repaired soon.

"Both sections of the seafront are walked and surveyed in detail by an inspector every three months, but if members of the public become aware of a new or worsened pothole between inspections, we ask them please to report it online at www.essex.gov.uk/highways."

Cycle Down Dementia challenges participants to cycle 1,000 miles between November and January 31. Donate at bit.ly/2OYZmFv.