A GROUP of adventurous businessmen, who tackled five mountains and a 100 mile bike ride, have donated £7,000 to St Rocco’s Hospice.

Ben Dawbarn, Robert Foden, Paul Dixon and Ross Clark took part in the mammoth ‘Ecoshred 5 Peak Charity Challenge’ over the summer.

The trio scaled Snowdon and Scafell Pike in Wales and England, Slieve Donard in Ireland, Ben Nevis in Scotland, and Grand Paradiso and Cosmique in Italy.

Their gruelling fundraiser was rounded off with a testing 100 mile bike ride around London.

Ben, a legal practitioner, owns confidential waste disposal and recycling company Ecoshred, Rob is a property developer and Paul owns architectural practice Dixon Architecture.

They were joined in the UK-based events by close friend Ross Clark.

Ben said: “We wanted to show our appreciation for St Rocco’s by raising as much money as possible for such an amazing and worthy cause.

"Each part of the challenge had its highlights but for me the greatest part was watching the money roll in, knowing that every penny would be going to help such fantastic causes.

“Every section of the challenge tested us, from racing down mountains to catching flights and ferries or precariously clinging on to rock faces.

"Blisters, fatigue, altitude, sleep deprivation, and cycling around accidents were also difficult but without doubt the hardest part of the challenge was keeping our spirits up after having climbed 14,000 ft at one point, and then to go back down and start all over again the next day due to weather conditions.

"We couldn’t have done this had it not been for the camaraderie and the support of each other.”

The group have been touched and delighted by the generosity of those who have sponsored them and are now recovering from their challenge.

Ben added: “We are absolutely overjoyed with the support of everybody that has donated and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts.

"It just goes to show the true generosity in the people of Warrington when coming together to support such amazing causes.”