Just weeks ago, a team from Durham Police took on the National Three Peaks Challenge, climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in an incredible 23 hours and 43 minutes while raising vital funds for charity.

But the achievement was never just about beating the clock. It was about teamwork, resilience and showing people that no one has to face life's toughest moments alone.

Organised by Sergeant Steve Adey, the challenge raised money for 4Louis following the devastating loss of his young daughter Primrose, who died just a week before her second birthday. The charity provides invaluable support to families experiencing miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death and sudden infant death.

"We'd talked about it for so long, and then suddenly the day had finally arrived," Steve recalled, adding: "The energy from the group was tangible. We were spread across three buses and you could just feel the excitement."

The group included police officers and police staff who quickly came together as one team.

"At work we're all part of the policing family, and that could be felt immediately on the climb. Straight away everyone was looking after each other."

The first climb brought the first major test. Within the opening hour, one member of the group began to struggle, and the team naturally became spread across the mountain.

Summit

"Not everyone reached the summit together, and not everyone came back down together," Steve explained.

As one of the organisers, he was faced with difficult decisions.

"I didn't want to leave anyone behind, but equally there was an expectation that we'd complete it inside 24 hours."

To give everyone the best chance of succeeding, Steve split the first two buses, allowing those who had fallen behind schedule to catch up.

"They did catch up, but it meant they started Scafell Pike around an hour later."

The challenge was becoming as much mental as physical. Most participants had now been awake for close to 24 hours, travelling hundreds of miles between mountains with little opportunity for sleep.

By the time the team reached Scafell Pike, conditions had deteriorated.

Scafell Pike

"The weather had turned. By the summit it was foggy and raining, but we decided to push on."

The toughest conditions came on Snowdon.

Reaching the foot of the mountain at around 1.30pm the following day, the team encountered torrential rain and some of the worst mountain weather Steve has experienced.

"It was horrific," he said, adding: "It was the worst mountain weather I've ever been in.

"What looked like waterfalls were actually the paths. The rain was just pouring down them."

Challenge

Despite the conditions, the team pressed on. One group completed the challenge in 23 hours and 43 minutes - just 17 minutes inside the 24-hour target. Others completed all three mountains outside the official time, while one group was unable to finish.

For Steve, however, the timings were secondary: "I'm unbelievably proud of everyone.

"It wasn't until we'd had a proper night's sleep that I really appreciated what we'd achieved. Even if only one person had completed it inside 24 hours, that would still have represented the whole group."

Alongside the physical challenge, the team also raised more than £11,000 for 4Louis.

Donations continued to arrive throughout the challenge from family, friends and complete strangers who scanned QR codes or dropped spare change into collection buckets.

Donations

"I looked at every single donation as it came in," Steve said, adding: "Sharing those donations with the group kept us going.

"People's generosity is phenomenal. Every donation makes such a difference."

For Steve, the fundraising carries a deeply personal meaning.

The emotional high point came not on a mountain, but the following morning, when the group gathered on a beach and Steve read a letter written by his wife explaining what the charity's support means to bereaved parents.

"I couldn't get through it without getting emotional," he said.

"You can't take somebody's grief away, and you can't bring their loved one back. But you can give people hope.

Policing family

"That hope comes in lots of different shapes and sizes."

Steve believes the challenge perfectly demonstrated the strength of the policing family.

"When Primrose died, I really felt that support around me. You don't just wear the uniform - you take everything that comes with it.

"It's in your darkest moments that you realise how many people are willing to put an arm around you."

He says the Three Peaks reflected that same spirit.

"Through all the hardships, everyone stuck together. Everyone was looking after the person next to them.

"It's been an honour to spend time with colleagues outside of work, and I genuinely think experiences like this make teams stronger."

Medals

Steve also praised Durham Police Federation, which supported the challenge by funding medals for participants.

"For much of my service I knew the Federation was there, but I never really appreciated what it did until I needed support myself.

"When difficult things happen, that's when you realise why the organisation exists.

"They provide that wraparound care. You might never need them, but when the worst moments come, they're there with specialist support and people you can lean on."

Looking back, Steve says there is one word that sums up the Three Peaks.

"The word gets thrown around a lot, but this is genuine pride.

"Pride in what we achieved, pride in how everyone looked after each other and pride in the difference we've made through fundraising."

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