A TREK to Peru's Inca ruins at Machu Picchu in memory of her sister has seen Kirsty Houston raise more than £7,500 for the charity Unicef.

The seven-day trek by Kirsty, 27, took her group through mountains at altitudes of more than 14,000ft as she tried to raise money to continue the work by her late sister, Lindsay, 28, who died two years ago.

Kirsty was able to visit a community project in the Huancarani district of Peru and meet some of the children who are being helped by the Unicef programme.

She said: "I found the experience amazing. It was a real challenge but worth every minute.

"We also visited two projects that Unicef supports which help protect, support and develop children in these remote mountain communities which help them with the basic start in life that we all take for granted.

"I felt very proud that my sister had helped set up Unicef's first overseas trek in support of this programme and pleased that so many people in Weymouth and elsewhere had contributed so much. The level of support has been overwhelming."

Her Peru trip contributed to a final fundraising total which was also boosted by other events.

Kirsty's father, Richard Burgess, has been a familiar local figure for many years as Weymouth and Portland council's environmental services director, but his appearance totally changed when he shaved his beard off to help raise money for Unicef.

He said: "I was very pleased to break the habits of 40 years with a beard and for such a good cause. However, my wife and family did insist that I grow it back immediately when they saw what was beneath it!"

Other events have included everything from charity cake baking and jam and pickle making to recipe book sales, raffles and caption competitions with fundraising spread from Plymouth to Newcastle.

Kirsty said that she and all members of the Burgess family would like to thank all their friends, work colleagues and relatives for supporting them in the effort to raise funds for Unicef.