TWO Malvern businesswomen teamed up to raise money for St Richards Hospice with a road and river challenge across south Worcestershire.

Sarah Cuddy, manager of the Bluebell Inn, and Alexandra Soden, proprietor of the Treherne House bed-and-breakfast, both in Guarlford Road, took part in the 45-mile event to raise funds for St Richards Hospice.

It involved canoeing down the river Avon from Pershore to Tewkesbury, hiking from Tewkesbury to Kempsey and cycling from Kempsey back to Pershore. They trained for the event with British Military Fitness based at Worcester Woods.

Mts Soden, said: "It was the most fantastic day from start to finish and we are immensely proud to have raised the funds for St Richards."

They initially raised £500 through their Just Giving site for the hospice, but Marstons Inns, which owns the Bluebell, was so impressed with their fundraising efforts that it matched the amount, boosting the final figure to £1,000.