A GROUP of friends from West Cumbria have raised over £7,000 for the county's three main cancer wards, as they walked the Cumbrian Way.

The group took on the challenge, over four days from September 7, to raise funds to provide comforting items such as hats, gloves, socks, tropic care packages, nail packages and more for those undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy at the Henderson Suite and Loweswater Suite in West Cumberland Hospital, Whitehaven and The Northern Centre of Cancer Care, at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.

To date the group have raised £7,383 by completing the gruelling 71-mile route which links the two historic Cumbrian towns of Ulverston and Carlisle, over the fells passing through the towns of Coniston and Keswick, smashing their original target of £5,000.

There were nine walkers who completed the full four days: Caitlin White from Whitehaven, Cameron Bland from Borrowdale, Kieran Halcrow from Whitehaven, Jonathon Stewart from Whitehaven, Macy Baker from Silloth, Joe Moore from Whitehaven, Guy Pattinson from Whitehaven, Clark Pattinson from Whitehaven and Luke Blaney from Whitehaven.

Three other walkers - Millie Norman and Adam McGarry, both from Whitehaven and Sarah Sim from Silloth - joined the group on Saturday morning to complete the last two days.

Caitlin White said: “It feels amazing to have completed the challenge and there were definitely some really tough times during the walk but the pain and ache we were all feeling is nothing compared to what the people using the wards go through and that’s definitely what kept us going.”

The group thanked Mary and Sean Eldon for providing food and following the group along the way on the last two days, Joanne and David at the Flock In Tea Rooms for providing food on the Friday, David and Carole Baker who dropped off fresh clothes and snacks.

Thanks, were also extended to Neil and Elaine Pattinson for having the group round once they finished the walk to celebrate.

You can still donate to the cause by clicking the link here.