Sisters scale new heights for Burnley dad

9:42pm Wednesday 23rd April 2008

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TWO sisters are set to scale the heights of the Yorkshire three peaks in memory of their dad who died of cancer.

Kirsty Sowden, 33, from Barrowford, and Lisa Sowden, 36, from Burnley, will be tackling the 24.5 mile walk up Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, which takes in 5,000 feet of climbing.

The sisters will be joined by family friends Jo Bradshaw, 29 and Angie Moyler, 29 in an attempt to raise £1,500 for Pendleside Hospice, who cared for their father during his illness.

So far they have raised over £850 for the charity and are hoping to surpass their target.

Their father Derek Sowden, a former manager of Phoenix Healthcare Distribution in Burnley, died last April, aged 60, of bowel cancer after only being diagnosed with the disease six months previously.

The walk will take place on Saturday May 24, the day before what would have been Mr Sowden's birthday, and they are hoping to complete it within 12 hours.

Kirsty Sowden said: "Our dad was a keen walker and would walk the three peaks about once a year and would walk regularly in the local area.

"We told him of our plan to walk the three peaks before he died and he thought it was a great idea. We wanted to raise money for the hospice because they have been fantastic. They made him comfortable and have given us a lot of support since his death.

"We have been preparing by going for walks twice a week, we have walked up Pen-y-ghent and around Rossendale and Pendle Hill. So far we have had a lot of bad weather on the walks so we are hoping that on the day it will be nicer.

"I think we will feel a fantastic sense of achievement when we have completed the walk. We expect it to take us about 12 hours to complete the walk and our mum and friend will be meeting us at points during the way to give us food and drinks."

To donate money visit www.justgiving.com/lisasowden.