A team of three Macmillan community nurses, a Warwick Hospital nurse and the hospice’s administration assistant Sally Hollway flew to Peru on Saturday.

And after a day acclimatising to the altitude in Cusco, they are now toiling along a precipitous trail to the spectacular ruined city which was built in 1450. The four women have jointly raised £19,000 in sponsorship for the “trip of a lifetime” and expect it to be “magical”.

Speaking before she flew out, Mrs Hollway of Bubbenhall said: “We decided we wanted a challenge, but at the same time wanted to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

“We are a little bit apprehensive, but have done a lot of training and are very excited. It’s going to be a trip of a lifetime - a tremendous challenge that will take us out of our comfort zones.

“It’s going to be a magical experience as Peru is such a fascinating country. We are very grateful for the amount of money we have raised and know how well it will be used.”

Pictured are Gaenor Beasley, Heather Goding, Sally Hollway and Sheila Henderson. MAY2