AN intrepid team of Bolton adventurers fought personal grief to finish a charity dash across Egypt.

Many of the fund-raisers, who included a team from the Royal Bolton Hospital, completed the 228-mile event knowing a close friend lay dying following a car smash.

Nurses from the hospital's podiatry department almost backed out of the trip to raise cash for the Children's Hospital Appeal Trust after being told their team member's son was involved in the accident on the M60 three weeks ago.

Simon Pennington, aged 27, of Hazeldene, Westhoughton, died after a lorry smashed into his car on Barton Bridge.

His devastated mum Irene Pennington, who had trained for months to take part in the Israel trek, remained at her son's hospital bedside and refused to go to Egypt.

Organiser Jim Hall, a veteran cyclist from Egerton, who was the oldest of the 49 adventurers, said: "The girls were really upset.

"They travelled bravely on and didn't find out that Simon had died until they reached the finish five days later at Nuweiba.

"All the girls were originally going to back out but Irene wanted them to carry on without her."

Irene had been looking forward to seeing the pyramids and the climb up Mount Sinai.

The team also included bakers from Warburton's in an event which has become strongly supported by the town.

The intense cycle trek raised £100,000 for CHAT to equip ambulances with life-saving machinery.

Future money-spinning trips are scheduled for September in the Canadian Rockies and those interested are asked to contact CHAT on 0161 276 870.

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