GREAT Dunmow s Round Table reached new heights this month after eight members trekked to the summits of the highest three mountains in the United Kingdom for charity. The sponsored challenge dubbed Three Peaks was set by Chairman, Kevin Deamer and took

GREAT Dunmow's Round Table reached new heights this month after eight members trekked to the summits of the highest three mountains in the United Kingdom for charity.

The sponsored challenge dubbed 'Three Peaks' was set by Chairman, Kevin Deamer and took the men a gruelling 23-hours of incessant walking, climbing and driving to reach the summits, only allowing brief stops to grab quick photo opportunities.

Mr Deamer said: "I decided that the Three Peaks would be a great challenge as I knew it would push the guys to their limit and beyond anything that they had experienced."

Their arduous adventure started on July 14 at 8am at Foakes Hall, Great Dunmow. An 11-hour minibus journey then took them up to the foot of the Ben Nevis (1344 m) the highest mountain in England, Scotland and Wales, before then going on to conquer Mount Snowdon (1085m) and Scarfell Pike (978m).

Still counting and collecting their sponsorship monies, the team believe they have raised somewhere in the region of £2500 which they will be split between charities; the Helen Rollason Heal Cancer charity, National Deaf Children's Society, The Noonan's Syndrome Charity and various local Dunmow Charities.

Building contractor, Dave Frater, who took part in the challenge, said: "The charities we chose to back were not only for a good cause but all close to our hearts.

"My business partner was diagnosed with cancer and so the Heal Cancer charity was something I wanted to support."

Mr Frater added: "It was extremely challenging and much more difficult than we thought it was going to be. Scarfell Pike, the smaller of the three mountains was actually the most challenging to climb and was a very steep trek.

"There was however a great sense of achievement when we reached each peak but from there it was straight back down again to the minibus.

"While there, we would change our clothes, eat, and have our hot drinks, all on the minibus, so it was very cramped conditions and hard work."

Mr Deamer said: "Throughout the challenge everybody showed a great willingness to help each other and without that strength of character and teamwork we would have failed."

He paid special thanks to Rob Miller and Will Sadler who drove the members to each mountain and prepared their food throughout the challenge.

Mr Frater said: "It was a fantastic experience but it's going to take me a week to recover now and be able to climb the stairs at home again.