A girl from Pembrokeshire and her friend are currently cycling and kayaking the length of New Zealand.

Tori James from Pembrokeshire and adventure athlete Maria Leijerstam from the Vale of Glamorgan have taken on the huge challenge.

The pair have already completed 650km of the North Island in seven days and they have a further 1800km to go.

While cycling they have admired the beautiful scenery, but found the State Highway five a bit narrow and scary.

They have enjoyed the delights of Auckland after a brief stop and took time out to be at the official opening of the 70km long Hillary trail, in memory of New Zealand’s greatest mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary.

The girls joined Duke of Edinburgh award participants on their final day’s walk through 27km of thick bush, sweeping black dunes and spectacular coastline.

“We have had a spectacular journey so far.

“The hospitality of the locals has been incredible and we really feel we are getting fitter – a 90km day is starting to get easier and easier,” said Tori.

“Our morale is really high, and in spite of sore bums, thighs, palms, midgy bites and running out of raisins for our porridge, it’s great.”

Now in Rotorua the pair is set to kayak the Whangaehu River as a warm up for the Cook Strait.