A woman has returned from a punishing trek across the desert in aid of a charity that drills fresh water wells in Uganda.

Debbie Cameron, who is the head of fundraising at Fields of Life GB at the Kent Science Park in Sittingbourne, joined nine other ‘Sahara Warriors’ walking just shy of 100 kilometres.

The group battled through the harshest conditions mother nature could throw at them, including blinding sandstorms, sweltering 40C heat and a lack of water.

The trekkers were joined by two camel herders and a chef in a journey that took six days to complete.

Debbie, who has previously climbed Mount Elgon, which is on the border of Kenya and Uganda, described the trek as her toughest challenge to date.

She said: “We had all done plenty of training in preparation for the trek, but nothing can prepare you for the heat you experience in the Sahara and there is nowhere to get away from the sun.

“Everything we needed for our trek we had to carry - including all of our food and water. We all had blisters on blisters, making some days exceptionally tough.”

But Debbie said the sheer beauty of her surroundings made the gruelling conditions ultimately worth it: “We slept under the stars every night and the sky was like nothing you have ever seen before.

“Each day we walked there was something new that would take your breath away - an oasis in the middle of the desert; the sheer scale of the sand dunes; the sunrise and sunset every day.”

The group raised nearly £23,000 for the Northern Ireland-based charity Fields of Life, which is involved in a number of projects to improve infrastructure and social problems in a number of post-conflict African countries.

The organisation’s Science Park site director James Speck said: “So much can be achieved by donating - just £17 a month will sponsor a child in primary education and £24 a month will sponsor a child in secondary education, including boarding costs.”