TWO weight watchers from Andover, who have lost over seven stone between them, are preparing to take on a charity trek in India.

Eileen Johnston and Amy Beasley will hike around 80km starting from today, making their way across mountains, meadows and glaciers during their six-day journey.

The pair start their journey in Delhi before travelling to Pathankot on the edge of the Himalayas, where they begin their trek.

Alongside other hikers, they will make their way up the mountains towards Kareri before eventually reaching Triund.

There they will get a glimpse of the 5,639m high White Mountain, while themselves reaching altitudes of over 3,500m.

The pair will then work their way back down towards Triund as they begin their journey home.

For 33-year-old Amy, a full-time carer for her father, the trek will be partly about exercise and weight loss, having previously dropped four stone already this year.

But it will have added significance for the weight watcher, as both her and Eileen will also be raising money for Andover Young Careers.

Amy, who is trying a trekking adventure for the first time, said: “It’s a great charity and we picked it because care is essentially part of both of our lives.

“For me as a carer it is difficult enough, but I think how hard it must be being a child and having to care for someone.

“It is good that there are charities which give support to those people.”

Eileen, 52, has much more experience than her trekking partner, having completed previous adventures in Egypt in 2009 and Uganda in 2014.

However the mother-of-two, who has lost four stone in the last six years since beginning her hiking, is equally excited about the upcoming trip.

She said: “It’s another trek and another challenge.

“I’m really looking forward to doing the trip with Amy and for me it’s also a chance to catch up with people I’ve trekked with on previous trips.”

Eileen is also supporting Andover Young Careers, having previously cared for her mother, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 1973.

The pair have so far raised over £850 and are hoping to reach the £1,000 mark by the completion of their trip.

To sponsor them click here