A GROUP of employees from Newport’s Intellectual Property Office raised thousands for charity through a gruelling physical challenge which saw them climb three of the highest mountains in Wales.

The team of 43 staff members from the government office in Duffryn completed the Welsh Three Peaks challenge on Friday, July 6, taking on Snowdon, Cader Idris and Pen-Y-Fan in one day.

And they smashed their fundraising target, raising more than £3,000 for St David’s Hospice Care.

The four teams of colleagues walked 17 miles, and climbed 2,334 metres, starting with Snowdon at 6.20am, which Team 1 completed in 3 hours and 39 minutes.

This climb was followed by a hike up Cader Idris at 11.45am, which took just over five hours for the final team to complete.

After this they took on Pen-Y-Fan, the largest peak in south Wales, with the overall climbs taking them 17 hours and 15 minutes.

Communications manager Lisa Robinson said: “It was absolutely fantastic to be hiking up Snowdon as the sun was rising, and the views from the top were incredible.

“I was really proud of everyone for completing this mammoth challenge, and of how people supported each other, both physically and emotionally.”