A GROUP of 11 men proved they had a head for heights when they scaled three of the highest UK mountains in under 24 hours last weekend.

Members of Neyland Judo Club and local police officers Mark Guest, David Collis, Nigel Bendle, Toby Lewis, Karl Longhurst, Rob Tweed, Spencer Rourke, Craig Bennett, Tomos Whelton, Damon McGarvie, and Dave Weatherburn, took on the 3 Peak challenge completing it in 23 hours and 24 minutes and raising more than £8,000 for the Paul Sartori Foundation.

The team started the challenge at 4.30pm on July 6, when they began their ascent of Ben Nevis in Scotland, before driving six hours to Scafell Pike in England, and finishing in Snowdon on July 7.

In total, the distance walked was around 26 miles, the height climbed was 10,000 feet, and the distance covered between mountains was some 450 miles.

Mark, who led the team, said that the group travelled in a minibus that was restricted to 62 miles per hour which added to the pressure.

He said: “When we first started on Ben Nevis, we were in high spirits and full of energy, but half way up we started to realise how hard it was going to be. It’s freezing cold and you’re soaked through because there’s snow there all year round. And as you come down, it starts to dawn on you that you’ve got another two to go.

“You have that feeling of elation when you get down, and then it hits you when you get out of the van at three o’clock in the morning, after a six-hour drive, that you have another two to go and half your stuff is wet. It’s mixed emotions, you feel great because you only have one more to do, but then you feel – I have one more to do.”

He added: "I’m absolutely over the moon that we managed to raise more than £8,000. We wanted to do something for a smaller charity, one more local to Pembrokeshire because it’s nice to see where the money is going.

“Some of the team members and their families have also had dealings with the charity, so it makes it a bit more personal."