A RUSSIAN environmental campaigner passed through north Hampshire as part of her 10-day quest to raise awareness of the threats facing rural areas.

Dr Marina Voikhanskaya, a 72-year-old psychiatrist from St Petersburg who came to England as a political refugee, is cycling 500 miles across East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire to raise money for the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).

Last Tuesday, she cycled from Farnham to Kingsclere, where she was cheered on by residents as she completed the seventh leg of her journey.

She said: "The north Hampshire countryside is absolutely beautiful and it has been a wonderful trip."

The Russian academic, who took up cycling at the age of 44, was welcomed by Councillor Peter Goff, vice-chairman of Kingsclere Parish Council, and Julian Pilcher, chairman of CPRE North Hampshire.

Cllr Goff said: "It's important that residents in Kingsclere are aware of the threats to the area.

"There are plans to build 750 new homes in the borough in the next few years. I would like to thank the doctor for coming here to highlight the problem."

The countryside surrounding Kingsclere is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Mr Pilcher said: "We need to highlight the particular threats being posed to this beautiful part of north Hampshire, which falls into the so-called western corridor high-development area created by the draft South East Plan.

"Kingsclere has further problems with the development of Greenham Common airbase, which will sprout like a carbuncle on the face of the countryside."

After visiting Kingsclere, Dr Voikhanskaya continued her journey to Sulhamstead before returning to her Cambridgeshire home on Friday.