Fundraisers to trek mountain with barrel of beer

The team have built a special Roman litter-type frame to carry the barrel

A group of regulars from a pub in Preston are climbing England's highest mountain with a barrel of beer to raise funds for a cancer charity.

The team, from Lostock Alehouse in Lostock Hall, plan on taking a nine gallon, 72 pint barrel of beer weighing 60 kilos (132 lbs) up to the summit of Scafell Pike in the Lake District.

At the top, they will tap the barrel to share a beer at the highest bar in the land in return for a donation to charity Rosemere Cancer Foundation.

One of the team carriers, Ben said: "We have researched this and as far as we are aware, no one has ever climbed Scafell Pike with a barrel of beer before. It's a first."

'Enjoy the view'

Ben, whose dad Ray opened Lostock Alehouse four years ago, said: "To catch our breath at the top, we'll set up a bar.

"The plan is to raise some funds for Rosemere Cancer Foundation by offering fellow climbers a beer to enjoy the view and celebrate their achievement of making it to the summit."

The team have built a special Roman litter-type frame to carry the barrel and are allowing themselves four hours to make it up and four hours to get down again.

They were inspired to fundraise after Ray lost his father Tom, best friend John and his 56-year-old brother Dean all to cancer.

Rosemere Cancer Centre is throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria's specialist cancer treatment and radiotherapy centre at the Royal Preston Hospital.