A MOTHER-of-two has been killed while taking part in a major charity cycle - after joking that she was tackling the epic Land's End to John O'Groats ride to fight "mid-life crisis".

Superfit Sally Preece, a karate black belt, turned to cycling after running marathons gave her arthritis.

But she was critically injured in a collision with a car on the A85 "Road to the Isles" near Loch Earn, Perthshire, on Friday morning, while she was tackling the Ride Across Britain to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society.

Her family travelled from England to the Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert and were at her bedside when she died from her injuries the next day.

Mrs Preece, 49, a keen charity fundraiser and endurance athlete, was the second woman to lose her life on Scottish roads in recent weeks while taking part in charity cycles from Land's End to John O'Groats. The Saturday before last, Anna Roots, 34, from London, died following a collision with a lorry at Bettyhill, Sutherland, just 55 miles into her ride.

Yesterday, those close to Mrs Preece paid tribute to their "cheerful" loved one - and donations to her fundraising page soared through her £4,000 target.