THE Everest Challenge Team from Clayton Harriers has succeeded in reaching the ambitious target of £50,000 for their chosen charities.

The team of Garry Wilkinson, John Roche, Neil Worswick, Tyrone Morgan, Peter Booth, Mark Brown and Candice Leah all competed in the Everest Marathon in November last year. After an arduous trek from Lukla to Everest Base Camp at 17,500 feet, taking 17 days enduring temperatures of -20C, and coping with illnesses associated with altitude gain, all the team completed the gruelling 26-mile course from Gorak Shep to Namche Bazaar.

The inspiration for the event came from watching the Paralympic Games in Athens. Roche and Wilkinson decided after competing for over 20 years in the sport they love, it was time to put something back and planned events and functions to raise money, in particular, for disabled sport.

Sponsor donations have brought in over £15,000. More than £7,000 worth of raffle tickets were sold throughout the year and there were a series of social events culminating in a star studded Dinner Dance at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Accrington. Honorary Guest Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson drew the winning raffle ticket with the star prize of £2,000 being won by Billington's Lorraine Price. An auction ensured that £12,000 was raised on the night.

In the next couple of months the team will decide where the money will be best spent. These charities will include The Everest Marathon Fund, which continues to fund water aid, Leprosy in Nepal and hospital ventures in the Himalayan region, and Get Kids Going, which provides wheelchairs and back up for disabled kids - helping them into sport. This charity has recently had success with wheelchair athlete Shelly Woods, winner of the 2005 Great North Run.

The 19-year-old from Blackpool has just been selected in the 800 metres for the Commonwealth Games in March and the team is proud to have been associated with Shelly and wish her good fortune in Melbourne. In addition, the Clayton athletes also want to develop a link with a local disabled facility.

Something dear to the hearts of the team is the livelihood of the Nepalese Porters. They are solely responsible for carrying all the tents, food and when necessary, sick people.

They too suffer from altitude sickness and illness and yet sleep in caves and live generally very poor lives. The Team is looking to provide a Rescue Post for the Porters in one of the more inhospitable places on the trekking route.

"We've had a fantastic year brought about by a lot of effort, hard work and support from a small nucleus of people, and they know who they are!" said Garry Wilkinson. "Three people in particular supported our cause to such an extent that they came with us and acted as our support team. Steve Heys and Stuart James as well as raising us a lot of money actually marshalled in the race."