A FATHER and his two dau-ghters are set to scale the heights of Ben Nevis in memory of his late wife and for leukaemia research.

Chris Penny and his two daughters Hannah, 13 who suffers from a type of cerebral palsy, and Fran, 15 are to make the moving expedition as a tribute to Mr Penny's wife Julie, who died from leukaemia more than two months ago.

Ian Botham, former England Cricket Captain has agreed to support the family's challenge that will see them walk up the three peaks of Ben Nevis between August 9 and 12.

"We've allowed ourselves four days for the expedition allowing six hours to get up and down each mountain," said Mr Penny.

"We wanted to make it a small family tribute".

Hannah, who attends Rose Hill School, Worcester, will be doing the trip in a carrier on her father's back.

Karrimore, a mountaineering company, has agreed to sponsor the trek by sending Mr Penny a new carrier, some waterproof equipment and some boots.

Mr Penny, from Falkland Road, Evesham, said he had always been a keen marathon runner and ran for Britain in a representative marathon in Iceland, 1996 and Belgium 1993.

Mr Penny's daughters are also no strangers to adventure for they travelled to New Zealand, Hong Kong and Canada while Mrs Penny was alive.

"Having a disabled daughter has given us more of a drive," Mr Penny said. "Before my wife died we talked of doing something for leukaemia research. The general image is that people think leukaemia is just a kids' thing but 80 per cent of children recover.

With adults there is only a 30 per cent recovery rate. We're raising awareness of how research into adult leukaemia is important as well"

Mr Penny said they were hoping to raise a minimum of £10,000.

Anyone wishing to sponsor the expedition should ring 01386 45757.