FIVE adventurers have set up camp in the middle of a busy city centre.

The team are preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for St Cuthbert’s Hospice, in Durham, and will sleep out tonight in the city’s Market Place to get used to the outdoor life.

Richard Langdon, Graham Duncan, Peter Diehl, David Hardy and Nathan Brown, set up their tents, supplied by nearby Cotswold Outdoor.

The team, along with fellow trekker Andy Thornber, will fly out to Tanzania in October, where they will spend two days helping out at a local community project before beginning their six-day ascent of the mountain.

Laura Barker, event co-ordinator at St Cuthbert’s Hospice, said: "Our Kilimanjaro participants are energetic, enthusiastic and raring to go.

"The camp out is good preparation for them and will give them a snippet of what it’ll be like on their expedition. Plus it’s a really good chance for the group to get to know each other."

Thirty-year-old Graham Duncan, from Beamish, is raising money for the hospice after it cared for his mum in 2008.

He said: "The time she spent in St Cuthbert’s Hospice made me and my family realise what a tremendous valuable service the staff offer and that they deserve all the support they can get.

"I have always wanted to give something back for the support we received and this trek seemed like the perfect opportunity."

It is hoped the challenge will raise around £19,000 for the hospice.

Anyone who wants to contribute to the fund raising should contact Laura Barker at St Cuthbert’s on 0191-386 1170.