A team of photographers from the Leicester Mercury are on top of the world after climbing the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales in less than 48 hours.

Deputy picture editor Andy Baker, colleagues Alistair Langham and Emily Barber and former Mercury lensman Darren Staples, who now works for Reuters, completed the Three Peaks Challenge in aid of the the breast care ward at Glenfield Hospital, raising almost £2,000 in sponsorship.

The trip saw the team conquer Ben Nevis (4,406ft), Scafell Pike (3,205ft) and Snowdon (3,560ft) without a support team, meaning that as well as climbing three mountains they also had to share the driving between the peaks.

After tackling Ben Nevis on day one the team enjoyed a well-deserved night's sleep before going on to climb Scafell and Snowdon within 24 hours without going to bed.

Ben Nevis

Now the adventurous snappers are nursing sore legs, but although Andy admits it was a "hard slog", he says it was a brilliant experience.

He told HoldtheFrontPage: "It went really well and everything went to plan.

"It was physically the hardest thing I've ever done, and in terms of stamina it was quite a grind.

"We found bananas were the order of the day and plenty of sports drinks!"

Scafell

"The most frustrating part was when we got lost in the fog half-way up Scafell and we thought we might come a cropper!

"I couldn't see my hand in front of my face and we had to rely on map readings and what we could hear."

The snappers decided to get together and raise some money for charity after Andy's wife, Cheslyn - who is also a journalist - and Alistair's sister, Ruth, were both treated for breast cancer.

Snowdon

But of course they also took the opportunity to take plenty of photographs of the trip, which they have now posted on a special website.

Andy said: "It was a great achievement to have walked it and it was great to raise some money for the hospital where my wife and Alistair's sister were treated."