DAREDEVIL Garry Seddon has returned from a gruelling overseas trek to Nepal to raise cash for The Cancer Research Campaign.

Gary, aged 27, a former Turton High School pupil, was one of 33 people who spent 10 days trekking through the Himalayas.

He said: "It was fantastic and a complete success. The group were wonderful and we all got along really well. It was a mixed group of old and young from all walks of life. Only six of the 33 of us were male, which surprised me. Some were retired, and the oldest member was a 62-year-old woman."

Gary, formerly of Harwood, works for a biotechnology company in Cambridge. He said everyone had their own reasons for taking on the challenge, with many having some personal experiences of cancer, through friends or relatives.

He said: "For me, the trip started off as a physical challenge. It was very daunting as I had no knowledge of either the people or the place and didn't know what to expect. It turned out to be an exhilarating experience, especially when we reached our highest point of 4,000 metres." The adventure saw Gary raising £2,500 and cash is still flooding in. Altogether, the group raised £90,000. , which will prove an important contribution to the challenge of finding a cure for cancer. "Everyone pushed themselves to their personal limit and made a whole bunch of new friends."

He added: "When we started off in Katmandu it was very hot. As we got higher up the mountains the climate became similar to the Lake District and, at the highest point, it was snowing."