Dakar rider relives medal moment

Patsy Quick and Clive Town reached Senegal on Sunday

An antiques shop owner from East Sussex has described her joy at becoming the first woman British motorcyclist to finish the gruelling Dakar Rally.

Patsy Quick, 39, who completed the course at her fourth attempt, said: "Crossing that finishing line in Dakar was absolutely fantastic.

"I knew it was going to be it this year but it has taken an awful lot - four years - to achieve my goal."

Ms Quick and co-driver Clive Town, 37, arrived home in Heathfield on Tuesday.

'Gruelling times'

They were two of only four UK entrants who finished the rally in the capital of Senegal, Africa, on Sunday.

Ms Quick was 88th out of 93 to collect a medal, with Mr Town just one place behind her.

"It has cost a lot of money over four years to get that medal," she told BBC South East Today.

Ms Quick had to be towed by Mr Town for eight hours in one stage

"To actually be on that podium was something I thought about so much. In the most gruelling of times, that is what keeps you going."

She paid tribute to support rider Mr Town and to her mechanics, husband Clive Dredge and Martin Wittering, saying without their support the feat would not have been possible.

"When I am having a low moment Clive Town can pick me up and vice versa," she said.

"We always have little adventures in the rally and this year, Clive had to tow me 55km (34 miles). It took eight hours through sand and camel grass - the other competitors didn't believe we would manage it."

In previous races, Ms Quick has ruptured her spleen and suffered mechanical problems.

Last year, she crashed in the desert in Mauritania and was rescued after three days by armed Mauritanian soldiers.