Eighteen intrepid trekkers raised £60,000 for a cancer charity by embarking on a “trip of a lifetime” to the peaks of the Himalayas.

Sara Nimmo, 48, of Great Canfield, organised the whole expedition in aid of the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity after witnessing first hand its services when she battled skin cancer in 2005.

Just before the group set off on their 10-day adventure last month it was revealed their fundraising efforts, which included a garden party, had brought the total raised to £60,000.

Sara told the Broadcast: “It was fantastic to know everyone had raised so much money for such a worthwhile cause. Helen Rollason do not get any government funding what so ever so they just need every penny.

“It is so lovely to be able to go to the Helen Rollason Support Centres and talk to other cancer patients who are going through the same thing. Going there just makes you forget everything and you can just relax.”

In the past the mother-of-one, who was joined on the Himalayas trip by her daughter Hannah Gilbert, 24, has already completed two mammoth treks in China and Morocco for the cause.

However, for the latest challenge the accountant wanted everyone taking part to be raising money for Helen Rollason. So she put the word out there and the numbers soon crept up to 18 trekkers, made up of four men and 14 women.

“They were lovely and we all gelled really well,” she said. “Every evening we all played games but as we were up quite early and were walking all day we did end up going to be quite early.

“It was quite a hard trek going up all the steeps and most of the trekkers found it quite hard but it was worth all the hard work just to see the view.”

She added: “Once you have completed a trek it is very emotional to know you have done it and to know everyone has supported you in your achievement.”