NINE intrepid walkers from Tavistock are hoping to reach their peak — well, three of them to be more precise — in the form of Britain's highest mountains.

Steve Tripp, Steve Rush, Anthony Rush, Steve Hemsil (their driver), Tim Haimes, Mark Biggadike, Matt Neale are friends from their time at Tavistock College.

They will be endeavouring to climb the United Kingdom's 'big three' — Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales between July 22 and 26.

Steve Tripp told the Times: 'We were all due to approach our 40th birthdays so we thought it would be great to do something in the way of a personal challenge and at the same time, raise some money for charity.

'Our aim is to complete the walking challenge of climbing the three highest peaks in the UK within a 24-hour period — that works out at roughly equal walking time and driving time between the venues.'

As the men are not all local and living in Tavistock now, they have chosen different charities.

Steve Rush, has just completed the John O' Groats to Land's End by bicycle and has raised a lot this year for charity.

Steve added: 'I have chosen Children's Hospice South West as I have a six-year-old daughter called Emily and appreciate that some of these children who are terminally ill may benefit from my modest efforts and be in a position to experience 'normal' things like visits and trips away with their families despite their conditions.'