INTREPID Hasbury mum of five Bianca Homer embarked on the biggest challenge of her life when she climbed Scottish peak Ben Nevis for charity.

Bianca, aged 46, has worked for Whitbreads at The Badgers Sett Beefeater for the past 21 years and raised money for the brewer's chosen charity Great Ormond Street Hospital.

She said: "I've been at the Badger Sett longer than the furniture. I've always tried to keep myself fit and wanted to do something for Great Ormond Street as it is Whitbreads' chosen charity.

"I travelled up to Glasgow on my own and met up with another 17 people involved with Whitbreads who I had never met before and then we all set off to climb Ben Nevis.

She added: "I do quite a bit of running and I still play for Stourport Hockey Club, but this was by far the hardest thing I have ever done. I'm not used to climbing and it took me seven hours in total to complete the challenge."

Bianca also staged a number of fundraising events prior to her climb.

She held a raffle at the Badger Sett while also making and providing food for Hasbury Primary School's teacher training day, who donated to her challenge in return.

Bianca also organised a colouring competition at Hasbury Primary School and for customer's children visiting the pub who all donated £1 to enter.

She said: "We asked the children to design a flag. We then turned the winning design into a real flag and I took it up Ben Nevis with me and had photo's taken of it there."

She also received some sponsorship from Halesowen Masonic Lodge 5635 which enabled her to raise over £2,000 for the challenge.

She added: "As a group we've already raised in the region of £12,000 but that figure could rise a bit further yet."