A GROUP of fearless fundraisers who raised £60,000 for Claire House have returned from Morocco after trekking across the Sahara Desert in aid of the Wirral children’s hospice.

The 28-strong group from Bebington fundraised for more than a year before setting off on their four day hike across the ever-changing dunes and vast flatland of the largest hot desert in the world.

Their fundraising included bag packing at local supermarkets, organising their own events and cycling for hours.

In the Sahara, the group survived flash floods caused by the worst rainfall to hit Morocco in almost 10 years and were left stranded in the desert after the closure of more than 100 roads in the region.

One of the team, Carrie Stacey, from Higher Bebington, said: “It rained for 12 hours straight on our first night and most of our camp was washed away, but we decided to just get on with it and keep going.

“It certainly was an experience. The team at Claire House had organised letters from families in the hospice which we read out each morning, these kept us motivated.

“We knew what we were doing was making a real difference and we started each day feeling inspired, if a little damp.”

Despite the weather, the group managed to complete the trek, providing much-needed funds to support families whose children suffer from a terminal illness.

Event Fundraiser Mark Pearson, who also braved the desert with the team, said; “Our Sahara Desert trek group have just been incredible – it is the largest single overseas challenge ever undertaken for Claire House and the amount that they have raised has been overwhelming.

“They had to endure tough conditions in the desert, but they’re a strong group and kept going, thinking about the families that we support. The money that they have raised will make a massive difference to the work that we do at Claire House.”

The Bebington-based hospice currently looks after 190 children, young adults and their families from across Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, West Lancashire and the Isle of Man, and relies on the support of the community to be able to offer care to people that need it.