Trekking across Peruvian mountains to raise thousands of pounds has been this inspirational woman.

Hazel Clarke, of Gosforth, has tackled the gruelling Inca Trail to Machu Picchu to raise money for Breast Cancer Care.

Her total for this latest fundraiser and previous challenges, now stands at more than £25,800.

This includes a £200 donation from PFCS – Pile Fuel Cladding Silo – at Sellafield.

“I’m not stopping until I have reached £30,000.” she said.

The latest venture was one that was mentally, physically and emotionally challenging, she says.

Hazel, along with a team of other fundraisers, trekked about 27 miles over four days, facing changing altitudes, the highest being 4,200m which is more than four times higher than Scafell Pike.

She said: “It was amazing. I wanted to really push myself. I wanted to do a challenge where I really got to the edge of my capability. I did get that.”

She described the longest day in which the group of women trekked for 13 hours.

“We started in the dark and finished in the dark. We had been walking for 13 hours in pain, exhausted, starving for our tea and disorientated. I got to that moment and thought ‘this is what I wanted to feel’. My feet were killing with going up and down so many steps,” she said.

“When we got to the camp a lot of the women broke down. They were exhausted. For me it was part of the achievement. It was exhilarating. It was mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting.”

Hazel also had to acclimatise to the high altitude in Peru which affected her before she set off on the trek.

Between the women they have raised around £70,000 for Breast Cancer Care.

Hazel, who works in the intensive care unit at West Cumberland Hospital, is hoping to organise another event to get to her fundraising target. She is planning a walking challenge from Wasdale into Borrowdale in September, which would involve camping overnight.