A GROUP of friends climbed the country’s three highest peaks in less than 24 hours to raise money for charity.

They set off from the foot of Ben Nevis at 7am, before tackling Scafell Pike and arriving back at the foot of Snowdon the following morning.

The men had climbed approximately 3,000 vertical metres and covered a total of 480 miles by road.

They were raising money for Sparks, a charity funding medical research into conditions affecting children.

Climber Andre Tapponnier, a 42-year-old property developer from Sandbrook Road, Hither Green, said: “Snowdon was the toughest part after suffering from sleep deprivation. There was no respite.”

So far they have amassed £2,000 for the charity.

To donate visit justgiving.com/sparks3peaks2010