Bingo Workers Set Record With Everest Trek

The bingo team played the numbers game at 17,500 ft to set a new world record.

A group of Gala Bingo employees managed to set the record for the highest ever bingo game during their recent Mount Everest expedition.

The 25 numbers game workers from around the UK generated over £100,000 for Sue Ryder Care by playing bingo at Everest base camp, which stands at 17,500 ft.

Risking severe dehydration, deep vein thrombosis and frostbite, the intrepid group completed the challenge following months of training.

Janet Pankhurst, a 60-year-old Gala Coral employee from Bournemouth, told the BBC that there was a slightly surreal aspect to playing bingo on the side of Mount Everest.

She said: "The other trekkers at base camp simply couldn't believe it when we started pulling out the calling cards, dabbers and bingo balls for the record attempt - I'm sure they thought we had altitude sickness!"

Meanwhile, chief executive of Sue Ryder Care Paul Woodward praised the bingo workers for "a truly fantastic endeavour".

Gala Coral is aiming to raise £1 million for the charity, which uses 6,000 volunteers to provide four million hours of care each year, by 2010.