A taxi firm trio from Exmouth has admitted defeat against a challenge to scale Mount Snowdon.

Direct Taxis owner Tony Quinn, of Colleton Way, manager Les Carde, of The Green, and driver Nick ‘Beany’ Bleasdale, of Rolle Street, were last week forced to throw in the towel after a second attempt to climb the 3,000ft mountain was cut short because of bad weather.

The trio, whose first attempt earlier this year was called off due to injury, said they will not be returning to reach Snowdon’s summit.

Direct Taxis co-owner Nicola Quinn said the group was ‘gutted’, but thankful to the sponsors for allowing them to still send the cash on to Children’s Hospice South West.

Mrs Quinn said: “It was pouring with rain and the winds were 40mph. They were half way up and it got really dangerous.

“Beany was sick, and they had to take the decision to all keep going or all stop.

“They are really gutted. They were going to do it again, but they fund it themselves – it’s quite expensive, and you can’t guarantee the weather.”