An East Lancashire Hospice is urging people to join in with an epic walking challenge later this year, as it marks 35 years of providing an essential service to the community.

On Saturday, September 9, Pendleside Hospice is asking people to take on the Great Pendleside Trek to help celebrate its 35th anniversary.

The Great Pendleside Trek is a circular 35-mile endurance walk or run event, starting and finishing at the hospice in Colne Road.

The sponsored walks or runs will help Pendleside Hospice continue to provide care for “the next 35 years”.

Leah Hooper, community engagement officer for Pendleside Hospice, said: “It's a great event for people, a mega challenge.

"Quite a lot of our other events do have a challenging aspect, but this is on another level for people to get their teeth stuck into, especially the fundraising element.

"We're hoping this level of challenge will get a lot of sponsorships.

"This is a real full-day trek and it's going to start very early in the morning, to late at night with little stopping time.

"It's a huge challenge, even for people who consider themselves very active."

Pendleside Hospice provides aid for individual needs of people with cancer, or other life-limiting illnesses.

They offer in-patient, day therapy and hospice at home services, alongside support for families and carers.

All their services provided are free, as they rely on the support of the local community they serve.

In the past, Pendleside Hopsice has ran the annual Pendle Pub Walk, The Midnight Walk, and Snowden at Sunrise.

The Trek will take in some of Burnley and Pendle's most beautiful countryside, including Pendle Hill.

Pendleside Hospice is working with The Sunnywood Project in Bury to plan the route, which said it will take approxiametly 12 hours to complete.

Participants have the option to complete the full 35-mile route, or finish at Barley (13 miles) or Laneshawbridge (21 miles) aid stations for those not capable of completing the full route.

The six aid stations will be positioned at various points along the route, every five to seven miles, including at Sabden, Barley, Colne, Wycoller, Thursden Valley and Worsthorne.

Ms Hooper said: "It's the biggest challenge Pendleside has ever put out there for the public, but we are hoping there is an appetite for it and that people will really take it on.

"Even if you can't do the full distance, the two other options are still huge challenges."

Donations can be made at the fundraising page here.