Climbing a mountain is hard work, but Oxford nursery workers Christine Murphy and Kerrie Ponting face an even bigger task - scaling the UK's countries' highest peaks in just 36 hours.

Mrs Murphy and Miss Ponting, who work at the Childbase Nursery, in Sandfield Road, Headington, are hoping to raise at least £1,000 for children's charity Bliss, which provides resources for premature babies and a charity that supports children in Africa.

Starting with Northern Ireland's highest peak, Slieve Donard, on Friday, the pair will then travel to Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in the Lake District before tackling Snowdon in Wales.

Mrs Murphy, 47, of Fettiplace Road, in Barton, said: "I'm excited and nervous all in one. Nervous because we don't know what to expect and excited because it's such a big challenge.

"I like walking, but I've never done anything like this before, so we've had to do lots of training to prepare.

"We have had lots of support from the parents here at the nursery, which has been fantastic, and the children are planning to come and say goodbye to us when we set off."

Miss Ponting, 27, of Beechy Avenue, in Old Marston, said: "We aren't really going to get much chance to sleep, it will only be on the ferry crossing from Northern Ireland and then on the bus going to each mountain.

"I imagine it is going to be pretty exhausting. It's only 31 miles in total that we will walk - but it is all uphill.

"Some people would train for a year for a challenge like this, but we have only had a couple of weeks, so it's going to be a case of having to push ourselves."

Miss Ponting said she doubted whether she would have considered taking up the challenge if it had not been for the fact it was raising money for charity.

She added: "It's for a great cause and it will all be worth it in the end."

The two friends will be joined on the climb by Benny, the children's 'share bear' from the nursery, who usually accompanies them on their trips out.

Mrs Murphy said: "The children said that we had to take him along for luck.

"We will make sure to get a picture of us with him at the top of all the mountains."