FORTY climbers scaled the height of Mount Everest in a bid to raise cash for a young people’s charity.

Birch Hall Adventures set up the challenge on its indoor climbing wall to raise funds for facilities.

The Kirby-le-Soken charity develops confidence and leadership skills.

Budding Chris Boningtons had to complete 2,500 ascents to scale the equivalent of 8,848 metres - the height of the world’s tallest mountain.

The Girls That Climb Club kicked off the event, completing 156 climbs and covering more than 500 metres in the first hour.

They were followed by nurses and families from Colchester Hospital’s intensive care unit, who added thousands of metres to the total before progress started to slow.

Centre director Alex Phillips said: “Mount Blanc, at 4,808 metres, wasn’t passed until late in the afternoon.

“But we had a five-year-old boy called Joe Langdon, who reached a personal total of 110 ascents, which is higher than the Shard in London.

“His brother, Ed, who is 12, set the best personal record of the day completing 160 ascents, closely followed by his older cousin Abby Phillips with 155.

“An injection of fresh climbers put on a final push adding 1,200 metres before completing the 12-hour challenge at 9pm.”

The event is expected to raise about £1,500.

There are plans to host the same challenge next Easter and Mr Phillips is already looking for climbers to join the attempt.

Money raised from the event will go to developing the facilities at Birch Hall Adventures, which is a Christian charity providing outdoor education and adventure for schools and groups.