PARAMEDICS raised more than £1,500 for the Marie Curie Foundation after they endured a nine-hour trek of Britain’s highest mountain together.

Sally Rooks, Tia Field, and Willow Carlisle completed the ascent on the final weekend of September after they took the plunge to press ahead with the climb earlier this year.

Although it took some convincing for 24-year-old Tia Field, who is from Clacton, to go along with her mentors, Sally Rooks said it was the camaraderie which got them through the day.

She said: “It was more the team spirit that really carried us up and down – going down was harder than going up, but the ‘up’ was still hard work.

“It was the fact we were doing it for charity – we were so pleased with the support we got, because that is what really kept us going up there.”

With £1,699 received in donations so far, the trio ar hoping for the sum to be bumped over the £1,700 mark, with their Just Giving page available via www.justgiving.com/team/GirlswhatSUP.

Buoyed by games, silly conversations, and jelly babies, the trio not only managed to keep themselves entertained, but other hikers too.

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“Other people around us were laughing at our banter and jokes – we started calling the mountain Mr Nevis.”

Tia, who is 24 and currently training to become a fully qualified paramedic, said the stunning scenery soon put to bed any doubts she had about the challenge which lay ahead.

She said: “When you keep going, the landscape opens up and you see those amazing views – that gets you going and makes you want to get to the top.

“The whole experience was actually really enjoyable – I think I underestimated my fitness and the enthusiasm I would actually have [for the challenge].

“It was immensely challenging but the high of actually doing it outweighed everything else.”

Willow Carlisle, who is from Clacton, said the jury was still out on what their next challenge was going to be.

She said: “We have had a think about what could be the next challenge, but there hasn’t been anything specific yet.

“We would definitely like to do something – but maybe a challenge that doesn’t involve walking,” she joked.