TWO friends who visited Everest base camp just a week before the Nepal earthquake struck are now raising money to help the aid mission.

Denver Thornton and Mervyn Brooker returned from Nepal on April 19 just five days before the devastating Nepal earthquake struck, killing more than 7,000 people.

Following the disaster, Mr Thornton, a long serving member of Edgworth Cricket Club and managing director of Diamond Flooring and Mr Brooker, a former headteacher at Bolton School, will be giving a talk and presentation on their Nepal trip in the hope of raising money to help survivors.

Mr Thornton, from Bromley Cross said: "Merv had been to Nepal a couple of times before and asked me if I wanted to go with him.

"I said my only condition was I wanted to see Everest so that's how we planned the trip.

"We missed the earthquake by less than a week which makes it quite personal.

"We were very lucky. We met quite a few people out there who were all very nice people and the guide that took us around invited us to his home for a meal and he just lived in two basic rooms with his wife and 18 month old daughter and now they can't go back — they have no home.

"Most of the sites we saw are not there anymore they have just been completely destroyed.

"The country relies on tourism. This earthquake will have affected everyone.

"It certainly brings it home to you the effects that the earthquake has had on people's lives out there."

The talk will be held at Edgworth Cricket Club in Bolton Road and will start at 8pm.

Admission is free and there will be refreshments as well as a collection for people affected by the tragedy.

Mr Thornton added: " I was asked by members of the cricket club to do a talk about my trip to Nepal and that was before the earthquake happened.

"I think now the talk is much more appropriate and hopefully we can try and raise some money for the cause.

"Anything we can raise will be good but we are hoping to raise at least a couple of hundred pounds."