WORKMATES have taken their charity fundraising to new heights.

Staff from Newcastle Building Society’s Durham City branch joined colleagues from 11 other branches and the group’s two head offices to between them climb 8,848m, the height of Mount Everest.

Ultimately, they collectively climbed 54,000m – more than six times the summit height.

The Elvet Bridge-based workers took turns on a step machine situated in their office through the day to do their bit towards reaching the target.

Through sponsorship, the Durham effort raised money for Durham Hospitals Radio, the branch’s chosen charity for 2014.

Branch manager David Pearson said: “This was a big challenge for us to take on but we were all inspired by the cause we’ve been supporting and it helped us go way past the heights we’d expected to reach.”

Workers across the 30 branches of Newcastle Building Society, the North-East’s biggest building society, raised £22,000 for good causes during 2014, including £1,300 through the Everest Challenge.

Natalie Falkous, head of corporate social responsibility at Newcastle Building Society, said: “The Durham team has been working hard for their chosen good cause all through the year and our Everest Challenge was a fantastic way for them to finish their fundraising efforts for the year.”