'I put my bike up for sale - it went from Fife to Kenya'

When Dr Carrie Ruxton posted on social media asking if anyone wanted her old tandem bike, she thought there might be some local interest.

But the St Andrews gym owner was taken aback when a message came in from the national paracycling team of Kenya.

Suitable bikes for blind cyclists and their pilots are hard to find in the African country, and one of the cycling team had spotted Carrie's post.

After months of sorting the logistics out, the bike safely arrived in Nairobi last week, where it could now feature in international competition.

The bike had originally been used by Carrie for her daughter Erin, who then outgrew it and got her own bike.

In August last year she uploaded a post to Facebook, saying the bike was free to a good home and could be collected from Cupar in Fife.

However among the expressions of interest was a post from Alice Miring'u, a prominent Kenyan cyclist.

She wrote: "currently searching for tandem bike for racing am in paracycling team and have no tandem bike. It can be of great help to me."

Although initially taken aback, Carrie soon decided that she would try and help, even if collecting the bike from her home was obviously no longer an option.

She told BBC Scotland News: "I had got a few replies, but I just thought what a wonderful idea.

"In Kenya they don't make tandem bikes, so they have to be donated.

"Alice cycles as a pilot for cyclists with impaired sight, and I thought it would be good to help if we could get the bike there."

The duo were able to find a Kenyan based in Glasgow, who sent containers with items back to his homeland.

He collected the bike to be included in his next shipment.

Carrie added: "With the distance you do wonder if it'll actually get there.

"But out of the blue I got a message last weekend saying it had arrived on Valentine's Day."

The bike will now be made suitable for racing, with upgraded components, and then tested on the track later this year.

Ironically, Kenya are competing at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.

But the work the bike needs means it is unlikely to be heading back to Scotland.

In the meantime it has been fittingly named Valentine by its new owners.

Carrie said: "I tied a tartan ribbon around it before it was shipped away.

"It was a wonderful feeling to see Alice smiling away with the bike next to her."