FOUR businesswomen from Bolton braved the mud when they completed a five-mile obstacle course to raise more than £1,000 for charity.

Monica Lea, Heather Morkmoon and Claire Shiels from Horwich-based Maxim Industries — and their pal Kate McDonough — raised £1,034 for Wigan and Leigh Hospice by taking part in Mudderella, a five to seven-mile long obstacle course event series aimed at women.

In completing the obstacle course, the women came up against mud trenches and tyre swings.

The event was held at Boughton House, Kettering, and was attended by thousands of people.

Maxim Industries paid for its employees to participate in the event and the women beat their fundraising target by more than £700.

Miss Shiels, marketing executive for Maxim Industries, aged 26, said: “We were quite surprised to raise so much — we thought we might get £100 each.

“I’d never done an event like this before so I didn’t know what to expect.

“It was quite challenging, but it was definitely fun — there was a lot of teamwork between us to help us get through it.”

The women were inspired to raise money for Wigan and Leigh Hospice after Ms Morkmoon’s husband was treated there before he died from cancer four years ago, aged 30.

Ms Morkmoon, aged 31, purchasing manager for Maxim, said: “We chose the hospice as it is a local charity. My husband passed away at the hospice four years ago. I shall always be grateful for the care and support we received.”

They raised more than £1,000 through donations from customers and got extra help from family and friends.

To donate towards Maxim’s challenge, visit justgiving.com/teams/maximindustries.