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TWO Everton staff raised more than £13,000 for The Everton Foundation by taking on a daring mountain challenge.

Hollie Costigan and Carena Duffy took part in the Via Ferrata Challenge in the Italian Dolomites, which entails five days of extreme and strenuous climbing.

The Via Ferrata - or 'Iron Road' - involves reaching summits via a series of metal ladders and cables built into the mountain, with only a harness attached.

Hollie and Carena held matchday collections, arranged an auction and organised a Sportsman's Dinner event at Goodison Park.

Hollie, marketing services manager, said: "This was a fantastic opportunity for us to represent the football club that we love and its official charity, which puts so much back into the local community in and around Merseyside, every single day.

"Our challenge was originally to raise £1,500 each in order to complete the trip, but the generosity of our friends, family and fellow Blues was overwhelming and we soon revised the target to £5,000.

"Our fundraising began in January of this year and included auctioning signed Everton merchandise, a collection in the lounges on a matchday and an amazing Sportsman's Dinner, which 150 people attended including Everton legends Ian Snodin, Joe Parkinson and Gordon West.

"The night was a fantastic success and we raised in the region of £4,000, which meant we then revised our target again to £10,000.

"We both feel so proud of our physical achievement but also to represent Everton in this way was very special to both of us.

"We spread the good word about the club and even turned some people on the challenge into big Evertonians!"

Lots of supporters did their bit to help the girls, none more so than fan Howard Martin, who organised a Blue BBQ at his home in Oswestry and raised an impressive £940.

Carena, customer service advisor, added: "I would liken the challenge to the semi-final day at Wembley - our feelings were up and down, we were excited, worried and anxious, but at the end it was pure exhilaration! Thank you to everyone who supported and sponsored us."

And to Hollie and Carena, from everyone at the Foundation - thank you!