A FAMILY who lost their wife and mother earlier this year have raised more than �10,000 for the charity which supported her through her illness.

A FAMILY who lost their wife and mother earlier this year have raised more than �10,000 for the charity which supported her through her illness.

Jez, 37, Ian, 34, and their father, Adrian, 64, tackled the three peaks challenge last weekend for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, which helped their mother, Frances Blackburn.

The trio climbed the highest mountains in Scotland, England, and Wales in 19 hours and 53 minutes and raised almost �11,000 in the process.

Jez, of Mallow Road, Thetford, who works for the British Trust Ornithology in Thetford, said the challenge was a way of pushing themselves while helping the cause.

“My mum suffered for five years and she died fairly recently,” he said. “The Motor Neurone Disease Association provided considerable help dealing with her symptoms and offering support. We thought we'd take part partly for mum and to help the charity in the future.”

He added: “We are so pleased to have reached the target and raised this considerable sum of money to help others suffering from this awful illness.”

Motor Neurone Disease is degenerative and leads to muscle wasting, loss of mobility and difficulties with speech, swallowing and breathing.

Mrs Blackburn was 68 when she died in February this year.

Her husband Adrian, from Retford in Nottinghamshire, said: “They [the charity] had a visitor that came quite regularly, they provided special chairs and there was a specialist who came to give advice and help. Probably the most important thing was a lightwriter.

“She lost her voice last year and they gave her a lightwriter so she could type what she wanted to say.

“It talks as well - that was probably the most important thing - without it communication would have been virtually impossible.”

It is hoped by raising the cash for the charity the family will not just support the cause, but help abolish a condition described by Adrian as the “most horrible thing you can get”.

For information on the challenge or to donate cash, visit www.justgiving.com/ blackburn3peaks.