A FUNDRAISING team has raised more than £7,000 for St Rocco's Hospice by walking 140km in just five days.

A group of nine friends and colleagues took on the challenge, which is equivalent to the length of Hadrian's Wall, to help St Rocco's during the ongoing pandemic.

A member of the group, Cerys Savage from Stockton Heath, explained: ‘"It was my crazy friend Stacey Higgins-Martin who came up with the idea.

''She is always doing random, mad challenges for charity, usually St Rocco’s.

"My sister's mum, who I was really close with, has recently passed away and has had so much help from St Rocco’s dealing with her terminal illness.

"I also have a lot of friends and family members that have received care from St Rocco’s."

This was not Stacey's first fundraising idea.

In April, during the first lockdown, she climbed the equivalent of Mount Everest using her stairs at home, raising a total of £4,500.

Now, her second fundraiser, with the help of her friends, has raised £7,300.

Stacey said: "St. Rocco’s has been such a big part of mine and my family’s lives over the years, so I’m always looking for a chance to give back and challenge myself, especially anything that gets me out and about.

"This challenge has been tough but I’m so thankful I haven’t done it alone and we’ve been one team with a big goal in mind."

Billy Welsby, digital and creative editor at St. Rocco’s added: "All nine of this wonderful team - Stacey, Cerys, Andy, Hetty, Annie, Alysia, Katie, Gaynor and Mia- have done so well.

"We cannot even begin to express how grateful we are to them all for pushing themselves to do this.

"140km each is not easy but they’ve absolutely smashed it and, the money raised will go so far in helping us provide our care."