ACTRESS Clare Calbraith, who plays Dr Tricia Summerbee in the ITV drama Heartbeat, is off to Nepal for The Children's Society in February and she wants others to join her and her sister Terri.

Ms Calbraith is swapping her stethoscope for a pair of hiking boots and leaving the Yorkshire Moors in pursuit of a trip of a lifetime in Nepal.

The ten day sponsored event takes place from Saturday, February 15 to Monday, February 24 in the spectacular Helambu region of the Himalayas.

Peaks 5,000 metres high dominate the northern horizon while the southern foothills lead to the unspoiled Kathmandu.

A trek through this region boasts colourful rhododendrons and participants trekking through will see the sherpas and Buddhist Monks who farm the area.

The group will climb daily, tackling steep descents and lots of steps amounting to thousands of feet high.

The route runs through meadows, dense forest, past waterfalls and cascading streams and includes a trip to a Buddhist monastery.

All these beauties can be experienced in the knowledge you are raising money for some of Britain's most vulnerable children and young people, including runaways living in danger on the streets and bullied or excluded children.

Ms Calbraith said: "Nepal is going to be fantastic, I can't wait.

It will be a big change from what I'm used to in Heartbeat, but I'm really looking forward to it and I'd love to encourage others to come along and do it too,"

To join Ms Calbraith in her trek for The Children's Society all you need is an average level of fitness, a sense of adventure and a commitment to raising the minimum amount of sponsorship money.

A registration fee of £150 is required for the trip and those interested should call 0845 3001128 or visit www.childrenssociety.org.uk.

August 23, 2002 14:30