ELY-based musician James Rees and his fellow Extreme Cellists have raised more than £3,000 for charity by playing impromptu open air concerts at the top of the four highest mountains in the UK. Mr Rees, who teaches religious studies at the King s School

ELY-based musician James Rees and his fellow Extreme Cellists have raised more than £3,000 for charity by playing impromptu open air concerts at the top of the four highest mountains in the UK.

Mr Rees, who teaches religious studies at the King's School in Ely, decided to move to the city after the trio of cello-players performed on top of the cathedral in 2005. He joined Clare Wallace and Jeremy Dawson in strapping their cellos on their backs to head up Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Mount Snowdon and Irish mountain Carrauntoohil during July.

Since they formed in 2003, the Extreme Cellists have raised thousands of pounds for Aspire, a charity who help rehabilitate people with spinal cord injuries, and Mountain Rescue. Among their other ventures is playing on top of all the Anglican cathedrals in the UK - 42 cathedrals in 12 days - and they have also entertained London crowds by doing a classical music version of the Monopoly Board challenge.