TWO South Lakes women are in training for a major hike in the Himalayas aid of a cancer charity.

Joy Knowles, of Docker, and Caroline Fry, of Kendal, will trek through the world’s highest mountain range in aid of St John’s Hospice, Lancaster, and Cancer Research UK.

Last month, the pair held a fundraising party and together with donations, the sale of 191 tickets, raffle and auction, raised £4,890 towards their charity effort.

Joy said: "Caroline and I have self-funded the trip ourselves so all the money raised so far will be split between Cancer Research UK and St John’s Hospice."

She said she decided to do ‘something special’ in her 50th year after being diagnosed with malignant melanoma - skin cancer - in 2011.

She is now in remission but says she has also lost friends and family to cancer and has friends and family who are fighting cancer today.

Joy and Caroline’s training to date has involved hiking up the three Yorkshire Peaks - Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-Ghent - and walking up the Lake District fells with friends and family.

The Himalyan hike is being organised by Action For Charity, a challenge which allows everyone taking part to raise funds for cancer charities of their choice.

Forty-three people are taking part in the trek from all over the country and will depart from the UK on April 24 to travel to India and will trek for six days, starting at Dharamsala and finishing at Lake Got (3,550m), well above the Himalaya snow-line.

To donate visit the ‘Justgiving’ website www.justgiving.com/teams/joyandcarolinehikehimalayas