A PLUCKY 12-year-old is set to pedal her way into the record books when she jumps on her bike this weekend.

Joanne Wilman, from Westhoughton, will take to the tracks of the Manchester Velodrome in an attempt to beat the 15.6 second 200-metre flying start national record for junior girls.

The Bolton School pupil, who aims to follow in the tracks of Chorley-based gold medal cyclist Jason Queally, has been passionate about cycling for three years and has her own specially-made track bike.

Joanne, who has an eight-year-old brother, Adam, was bitten by the cycling bug thanks to her father, Graham, who has raced for the past 30 years.

Graham, aged 40, was part of a three-strong team which took part in the World Masters championships last autumn and scooped a silver medal.

Joanne, who often races against older boys, is following her father by training with the Eastlands Velo cycling club for younger riders.

Her practice runs for the record-breaking attempt have proved successful with her achieving 15.2 and 15.3 seconds. Graham said: "I think I'm more nervous than Joanne is. She is too confident.

"The whole family will be going to the velodrome to support Joanne and we're all very excited for her."

Joanne said: "I'd like to win a world medal, too. I'm really excited about doing the record.

"There's going to be lots of top cyclists racing at the velodrome on the same evening so it's going to be fantastic."

Joanne will make her record attempt tomorrow at the same venue that Olympic cyclist Jason Queally competed in the World Track Cycling Championships two years ago.