A BRAVE mum is taking on a mountainous challenge to climb three peaks after her nephew was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.

Gwen Petitpierre, from Belle Vue Road, Old Basing, will join her brother Tony and sister Ellen Hearn in their quest to scale the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales in less than 24 hours.

Gwen’s six-year-old nephew John was recently diagnosed with the disease and his family wanted to do something to help. The intrepid trio are hoping to raise £10,000 for the campaign to help John and others with the condition.

Gwen, 42, a project manager at Thales UK in Basingstoke, has been training throughout the winter in preparation for the challenge.

She joined Tony, who is John’s father, and Ellen for 20-mile Sunday walks in the countryside to increase their fitness.

On Saturday, starting at the base of Ben Nevis, the group aims to climb to the top of the 1,344m summit in approximately three hours, before driving 248 miles to Scafell Pike in the Lake District, where they hope to reach the peak at about 7pm the same day.

Following a 212-mile drive, the team, which also includes four other members of staff from Thales, should reach Snowdon at about 2.30am, where they will face their final climb of 1,085m.

Gwen said she would be thinking of her nephew to spur her on. “He gets tired very easily and doesn’t have the same strength he used to have in his arms and legs. There’s a chance that by the time he hits his 40s, he will be in a wheelchair.”

To sponsor the team, visit justgiving.com/ arewenearlythereyetdad.