A GROUP of friends took on a demanding challenge to raise funds for their friend who has been severely injured.

Steven Bennett, of Connah's Quay, took part in the three peaks challenge in a bid to raise money to help his friend David Woods.

David, known locally as Woody, had an accident at work in 2017 on the railway platform. He sustained a traumatic brain injury which has resulted in several other injuries, including cognitive impairment and is wheelchair-bound.

Steven told the Leader: "It was very good, very hard and very tiring and something I wouldn't be in a rush to do again. It was for our friend David Wood because of his injuries that he sustained in work.

"The money raised will go towards helping his recovery and help with the adaptations he needs to his house. He also needs a new car with wheelchair access so we want to do our bit to help.

"Dave and his wife are very thankful and grateful for our efforts. They are overwhelmed. All the comments that people have made on our social media accounts have really helped us and lifted our spirits and motivated us to achieve the challenge. I would like to thank everyone for all of that."

The challenge is to climb the highest mountain peaks in England, Scotland and Wales - amounting to 11,000 ft - in 24 hours.

However, due to unforeseen circumstances, Steven and the team where slightly over the time frame.

He added: "The challenge is to do it in 24 hours but unfortunately for us we got stuck in traffic for over three hours on the M6.

"We were caught up in it which meant we missed our 24 hour time frame. However, we managed to do the climbing of every mountain in 12 hours. The unofficial rule is if you can do the ascending and descending in 14 hours, you have completed it.

"We were disappointed we didn't do the whole thing in the time frame, which was on the way to the last mountain, to Snowdon. Snowdon became a real hard job for us then but when we got to the bottom someone said we climbed the mountains in time which cheered us up."

Woody is currently receiving Neuro rehabilitation at Walton Hospital and is pending an operation for Cranioplasty.

Almost six thousand pound has been raised to help with his recovery and anyone wishing to donate can do so via the JustGiving page at https://www.gofundme.com/woody-fundraiser?.