A mother-of-three will travel to Africa on Friday to cycle 450 kilometres (280 miles) for charity later this week. Louise Rixon, 42, from Llanelly Hill, has already raised over £3,100 for the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) to thank them for the help it has given to her family.

Her children, Isabel, 14, Anna, 10, and Edward, 7, are all hearing impaired. Leaving on Friday, she will pedal across Madagascar over six days as part of a group of 38 people, eight of whom will be raising money for the NDCS.

Louise, who is married to husband Chris, said she signed up last summer in "a moment of madness". She added: "NDCS is a charity that we have used since Isobel was diagnosed 13 years ago. With all three children having a hearing impairment we have taken a lot from them." To follow Louise's progress or donate to her fundraising drive, visit justgiving.com/Louise-Rixon.