AN intrepid Dudley councillor and his two sons have raised £1,000 for charity after successfully scaling Britain’s highest peaks.

St Thomas’s ward councillor Steve Waltho and his teenaged sons James, aged 18, and Joe, aged 14, took on the arduous Three Peaks Challenge in aid of kids' charities - Acorns Children's Hospice Trust and Lye's Orchard Partnership for disabled youngsters.

And the gutsy trio completed the challenge - to climb to summit of Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Mount Snowdon in less than 24 hours - with just five minutes to spare.

Steve, aged 52, said his youngest son Joe, who had come up with the idea to take on the mountainous stunt after seeing his adventurous dad and older brother James set off on numerous charity adventures, had completed the challenge on July 5 and 6 with flying colours.

He added: “I think Joe felt a little left out of things and this really was his event. I’m really proud of him for completing a very tough event.”

He also thanked good pal Gary Roper for driving the team between peaks and his colleagues on Dudley Council and at chemical manufacturers Rhodia at Oldbury, where Steve works as a shift team leader, for sponsoring him.

Steve’s wife - Stourbridge MP Lynda Waltho - breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her family return home safe and said she was delighted the two chosen charities would each be given a £500 boost.

Anyone still wishing to donate to the cause can go to website www.justgiving.com/stevewaltho1 or call Steve on 07703 308463.