The Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association is launching a new fundraising initiative.

It is introducing an annual Wharfedale Three Peaks Challenge to fill a gap left by the demise of the Broughton Hall Game Show, its major fundraising event for 33 years.

The inaugural challenge will take place on Saturday, June 28.

The event has already been listed by the Long Distance Walkers Association and will cater for different ages and walking abilities with three different routes, all of which will start and end at Kettlewell Village Hall.

The longest is 22 miles and will take walkers over Birks Fell, Buckden Pike, and Great Whernside.

“It is a brilliant route showing off Upper Wharfedale at its best,” said UWFRA member Jacqui Todd. “It is exactly a week before the Tour de France event and there are likely to be visitors from around the world.

“This is an added opportunity to show off some of our spectacular Wharfedale countryside. Please come along and support us to make this a day to remember.”

There will also be a 13.5-mile Two Peaks option over Buckden Pike and Great Whernside or a community walk of 4.5 miles following the Dalesway up the River Wharfe to Starbotton and returning via the Paradise walk.

Entry is £10 for the two longer routes and £8 per person for the shorter route or £12 per family.

There will be team prizes as well as an award for the school with the highest proportion of children taking part in the community event The UWFRA team is made up entirely of volunteers who give up their time to rescue injured or lost people and animals on the fells 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Last year it celebrated its 1,000th call out.

Running costs are in the region of £35,000 a year, which does not include major expenditure such as replacing a Land Rover.

It is funded entirely through the generosity of the public and the fundraising work of the team and their families. The deadline for challenge entries is May 23 and for further information and a welcome pack, visit uwfra.org.uk or e-mail jacquibl@hotmail.com.

You can also follow the event at facebook.com/ uwfra.three.peaks.

challenge, or twitter.com/ Uwfra3Challenge.