Men climbing nine mountains for baby death charity

Jack Roberts, Matt Roberts and Laith Hoyfaz are getting ready for the mammoth five day challenge

Three men who have all been affected by the loss of a child are preparing to climb the UK's nine highest mountain peaks and cycle 180 miles for charity.

Matt Roberts, Laith Hofayz and Jack Roberts from Bristol will swim in the North Sea and then head to the Cairngorms where they will tackle five peaks before cycling 70 miles to Fort William to do four more and then swimming to the finish line in the Atlantic.

It is to raise funds and awareness for the charity Sands, who support families that have experienced the death of a child.

"It's really important to drive awareness to make sure that people know this stuff can't be brushed under the carpet," said Mr Hofayz.

Matt Roberts has previously done similar challenges for charity

"[Sands] are there to help pick up the pieces and support parents with bereaved children," he added.

All of those taking part have had experiences similar to Mr Hofayz: "Earlier on this year my partner and I went through a miscarriage.

"Members of my team have lost children and my best friend's child died in his arms in 2015," said Matt Roberts.

"I decided to raise money for a charity who help bereaved parents and try to heal them," he added.

Sands also conducted research into how maternity and bereavement services could be improved and how deaths can be prevented.

"A lot of people are out there in the darkness and haven't got any answers as to why [they lost a child] and all we can do is hope that we're doing good things for the future and helping people that will inevitably go through this" he added.

After they have climbed the final peak, the team will then head to North Wales where they will light a candle on Snowdon, as part of as part of Sands' 'Wave of Light' campaign:

"The premise is that at 19:00 in every time zone across the world they light a candle and put it out at 20:00 but when the time zone shifts across it means that as one candle goes out in one it appears in the next," said Mr Roberts.

"[It means] there's a continuous wave of light across the world for 24 hours," he added.

The team start the five-day challenge on Friday and hope to raise £20,000 for the charity.