Underwater bike ride tests Brighton seabed

Brighton cyclist Jo Brooksbank decided to encourage more women to take up cycling – by jumping into the sea and riding her bike under the seaside city’s pier.

The 43-year-old, a transport officer for Brighton council, is an experienced diver and a qualified cycling instructor and decided to combine her two interests into one slightly bizarre stunt.

Before she went into the sea from a dive platform, the conventional road bike was launched into the water with a marker buoy attached to it.

Then she cycled – or, as she put it, “wheeled” – for about half-an-hour before resurfacing

She told BBC News that the idea for the stunt stemmed from a picture she saw 20 years ago of a diver sitting on a bike and floating down through the water.

"It's obviously a strong image, because it stuck with me,” she said. “I've got back into cycling over the past three years after having my children, and this has helped me to get fit and back into shape."

After the stunt, she said: "It was a lot more tiring than I was expecting it to be.

"There's quite a bit of current coming past under the pier.

"We managed to find a smooth-ish area in the end, and we kind-of got cycling - a bit more wheeling than cycling I think - but I think we can say we did it."

Let’s hope the bike got a long session with the hosepipe and a lavish rubdown with WD40 to finish…..