A TEAM of Malmesbury climbers joined a record-breaking effort for the largest simultaneous mountain climb, to raise money for Children's Aid Direct.

Chris Tuff, Ian Marsh and Nigel Buck of Inc (UK) Ltd, based in Malmesbury, were joined by Nigel's brother Simon Buck for the expedition to the top of Tryfan, in Snowdonia.

The world record bid, called The Big Event, involved a total of 600 people climbing 112 mountains in the United Kingdon and Ireland simultaneously.

Now Guinness World Records has confirmed the event set a new record.

The Malmesbury team all had some mountain climbing experience under their belt.

They were not daunted by appalling weather the day before the climb when they travelled to Snowdonia.

The conditions were cloudy on the morning of the ascent but the situation improved.

"The cloud seemed to move up with us. By the time we reached the summit we were in cloud.

"But it began to break up and the sun started to shine through," a team spokesman said.

The team raised £1,000, and the national event raised a total of £100,000 to help fund Children's Aid Direct projects in Kosovo, North Korea and Sierra Leone.

The charity responds to emergency situations, helping to rebuild the lives of children and communities suffering from conflict, poverty and diasaster.

Record breakers Bear Grylls, the youngest Briton to have climbed Everest, and Mike and Fiona Thornewill, the first married couple to reach the South Pole, also joined The Big Event.

New mountain challenge events are planned for 2001.

Anyone interested in joining the event can contact the Challenge Team on 0118 953 3238 for further information.