Lost in a carrier bag of paperwork and old photographs the accolade proclaiming pensioner Toni Plowright's record-breaking cycle ride was not quite as quick arriving as she was on her bike - it was 48 years late.

In the summer of 1952, as a member of Colchester Rovers Cycling Club, Mrs Plowright, of Harvest End, Stanway, set the scorching time of two hours, 12 minutes and 48 seconds for the gruelling ladies Colchester to Chelmsford and back cycle ride.

Mrs Plowright, now 67, still holds the record she set all those years ago on her Hobbs racing bike and now in 2000 she has the certificate to prove it.

Sitting at the cycle club's annual presentation dinner last week, watching young cyclists receive their awards, Mrs Plowright, never dreamt she would be called up to the podium.

"The club president Geoff Keeble had been handed a bag of old photographs, papers and bits and pieces," said Mrs Plowright.

"Amongst them he found one of two old cycling photographs of me and there was my certificate. The club had it framed and receiving it was a complete surprise.

"I was a bit emotional really - to be presented with it after all this time."

That day still remains firmly etched in Mrs Plowright's memory, but to those who now use the A12 to Chelmsford the route may not be quite so familiar.

"I went up the old A12 which took me through all the villages - Marks Tey, Feering, Kelvedon. It was a fine day in summer and I enjoyed the ride," she said.

"It was a pretty route, not that I was looking, I had my head down. Other ladies have attempted the time trial since, but my time still stands."

Club president Geoff Keeble said: "How the certificate got into the bag I just don't know. When I found it I suddenly realised no-one had broken the record.

"The cycle club was formed in 1891 and this is the oldest record on our books. Toni was in a state of shock when we presented it to her," he said.

Mrs Plowright still enjoys cycling and husband Eddie said she has not lost that magic touch.

"Last weekend we took part in a sponsored bike ride to Mersea for the Take Heart Club and Toni was striking out," he said.

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