THREE friends are well on their way to taking a bite out of the Big Apple in a bid to raise cash for deprived children.

Rachel Fry, aged 28, from Bolton, Jenny Evans, aged 26, from Egerton, and Mandy Conroy-Philips, aged 28, from Preston, are almost half-way to a fundraising target that will allow them to fly to New York for a sponsored half-marathon walk.

They have so far raised £1,700 of their £4,500 target after holding a street collection, with the help of friends Collette Rushton and Christine Dennis, in Bolton town centre on July 21. Money was also raised by holding a car boot sale.

Rachel said: "We have many more things planned including more car boot sales, a ladies evening, bag packing at local supermarkets and raffles."