LADY Bathurst stopped off at Gloucester yesterday to present some special awards as part of her mammoth charity cycling challenge. 

Lady Bathurst is currently cycling from Lands End, at the tip of Cornwall, to John O'Groats, the furthest northern point of the UK mainland.

She decided to undertake this impressive challenge to raise money for The National Foundation for Retired Service Animals, a charity which she founded. 

This animal charity was set up to promote the care, well-being, and welfare of retired service animals from across the emergency services.

The challenge commenced on Wednesday, September 13 and so far she has raised more than £7,000 for the charity. 

Along the way she will be stopping off at various points on this 1,022 mile journey to visit an array of services that the charity supports to meet and thank officers and handlers.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard: Lady Bathurst in her cycling gear with the German Shepherd which is about the start its police training Lady Bathurst in her cycling gear with the German Shepherd which is about the start its police training (Image: Paul Nicholls Photography)

On Monday, September 18 she stopped at Gloucester for a special awards ceremony where she presented medals to four police dog handlers and one retired dog handler.

Deputy chief constable Shaun West was also in attendance as well as representatives of Murphy's Army Purple Poppy Campaign who were there to name a new 15-week-old German Shepherd who has started police training. 

The German Shepherd was named Murphy and the campaign group will be sponsoring its training journey.

Three horse riders were also awarded medals on behalf of the three horses which had retired.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard: Lady Bathurst with the three retired police horses that were awarded medals Lady Bathurst with the three retired police horses that were awarded medals (Image: Paul Nicholls Photography)

Lady Bathurst said: "Thank you so very much for the kindness and support of the Gloucestershire Police Constabulary, it means huge amount to myself and the charity."

In the next leg of her journey, she will be riding with Dr Dawn Harper and Joe Simpson up to West Mercia police head quarters near Worcester. 

Today (September 19) Lady Bathurst will visit Bamfurlong's police station near Cheltenham - which homes the Gloucestershire Police Dog and Horse section - and will end up at West Mercia Headquarters to meet with chief constable Pippa Mills, nationwide head of dogs for the police.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard: Lady Bathurst cycling alongside the retired police horses who were awarded medals in Gloucester Lady Bathurst cycling alongside the retired police horses who were awarded medals in Gloucester (Image: Paul Nicholls Photography)

To donate to Lady Bathurst's GoFundMe page visit tinyurl.com/bddveymn