Duckworth Finn hikers rise to style challenge

Style came before practicality when the Duckworth Finn Grubb Waters hiking team set off on the Maiden Outdoor sponsored 24 Peaks Challenge.

Not only did it travel to the start of the 31-mile hike in a fleet of Daewoos, but chief executive Michael Finn, an avid label freak, stepped out in a pair of Ralph Lauren chinos.

Not to be outdone, account manager Elinor Jones applied an extensive fake tan and flatly refused to don a hat, to avoid messing up her hairdo. Despite having the wrong map, Finn’s team proved that dedicated followers of fashion do have their uses after all, by coming fifth in the challenge which raised £135,000 for Children’s Aid Direct.

Young & Rubicam contributed £52,000 to the total amount, but it is not known whether they were spurred on by Armani hiking boots or Donna Karan Kendal Mint Cake.