The team of 22 fundraisers, led by Sharlston mountaineer Graeme Gummerson, completed the Lyke Wake Walk, which is known as the coffin walk and is one of Yorkshire’s toughest, in less than 24 hours back in September.

It has taken until now to tot up the mammoth total, which will be split between Alzheimer’s and cancer research charities.

Mr Gummerson, 52, of Snydale Villas, said: “The walk itself went really well, the weather and conditions were excellent. Collecting in all the sponsorship was probably harder than the walk itself but it has been worth it.

“My father is in the late stages of Alzheimer’s and many of us have lost friends to cancer so they’re charities that are close to our hearts.”

Throughout the walk, which crosses the North Yorkshire Moors from Osmotherley to Ravenscar, the team carried the coffin, complete with skeleton, on a specially made stretcher.

Mr Gummerson’s wife, Barbara, 54, made up part of the support team on the walk, which included the task of making four gallons of soup for the trekkers.

She said: “It has been a real challenge getting the money together but it was a real relief to finally be able to hand the last of it over to the charities. We never thought we’d make this much – we were absolutely amazed when we had the final count.”

And even after all that hard work, Mr Gummerson said he hadn’t ruled out another challenge.

He said: “Initially you think ‘never again’ but after a few months you forget all the bad bits. I haven’t quite thought what to do next but it will be something equally as bizarre – something to capture people’s imaginations.”