A catering assistant from West Suffolk Hospital and her father are set to tackle the three highest peaks in the UK in a bid to raise money for a hospital charity.

Michaela Cooper and Paul Sims are to take on Ben Nevis, in Scotland, followed by Scafell in the Lake District, before finally scaling Snowdon, in Wales, over a 24-hour period, on Friday June 11.

The pair are hoping to raise £1,000 as they take on the Three Peaks as part of the Beacon of Light Challenge which is being run by the My WiSH charity, which supports the work at West Suffolk Hospital.

The two have also been spurred on to help the hospital after three family members were treated for Covid-19 at the Bury St Edmunds hospital.

Sadly, the pandemic claimed the lives of the grandfather and grandmother of her husband Ben while Michaela’s brother-in-law Daniel Cooper, was also struck down with the illness.

Michaela, 30, who also works part time with Daniel, 34, at his outboard engine business in Soham, said: “The hospital cared for all three of my family members during the pandemic. Although my brother-in-law is now progressing amazingly and is back in the swing of daily life, there was a time when we were all greatly concerned about what the future held for him.

“He cannot speak highly enough of West Suffolk Hospital's critical care unit. They did their upmost to make him feel safe, reassured and cared for, during one of the scariest times of all of our lives."

The pair have currently raised over £700 but still want to reach the £1,000 mark and have been training hard, including the steep Castle Hill, in Thetford.