AN Indiana Jones-style challenge is awaiting a St Ives woman who plans to tackle one of world s toughest terrains – on horseback. Kirsty Dance, of London Road, will be riding a horse across the Andes, one of the world s highest ranges of mountains, to rai

AN Indiana Jones-style challenge is awaiting a St Ives woman who plans to tackle one of world's toughest terrains - on horseback.

Kirsty Dance, of London Road, will be riding a horse across the Andes, one of the world's highest ranges of mountains, to raise money to help elderly and distressed horses.

The trek involves tackling paths alongside volcanoes, treacherous scree, marshland and rocky terrain.

Kirsty, who has been riding since she was 10, will be in the saddle for seven hours a day for seven days, on a specially-trained horse.

The 26-year-old is having to undergo special fitness training so she can combat altitude sickness.

"The fitter you are, the less likely you are to get ill," she said. "I wanted to support the charity and it seemed like a tremendous challenge."

The trek has been organised by The International League for the Protection of Horses.

She will meet her horse for the first time when she reaches Latin America. Her own horse, Bridey, will stay safely at home.

Kirsty, a lab administrator at Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge, will be riding in a group of 20 people, half of them raising money for The Blue Cross.

She needs to raise £2,700 before she can set off on her trek. So far, she has raised £950 and has a competition on her fund-raising website to raise more sponsorship.

For £2, people who log on will be sent a wordsearch to complete and the filled out grid will be entered into a prize draw.

The first prize is a family day out at Warwick Racecourse, valid for any meeting this season. There are also four runners-up prizes of Easter eggs.

The closing date is Thursday, April 12. See www.sponsorkirsty.co.uk for details.