Woman returning to Nepal for Everest trek after earthquake

TRAPPED: Airlift drama saw visitors rescued from temple after huge tremors

A Fife woman trapped in Nepal during the devastating 2015 earthquake is to return to the country to trek to Everest Base Camp.

Ann Varney, from Kirkcaldy, was on holiday when the 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck, killing more than 8,000 people.

She escaped from a temple as the ground shook, but watched in horror as walls of buildings around her crumbled.

In her challenge next September, she hopes to raise £60,000 to help children and adolescents struggling with mental illness.

Ann, 50, said: “This will be the first time I have been in Nepal since the earthquake and I am both excited and a little nervous about going back.”

Hypnotherapist Ann is to take on the hills and Munros of Scotland to build up her strength and enlist the support of a personal trainer to keep her motivated.

Her mission will support the Children’s Meditation Hypnotherapy Centre, a non-profit organisation she founded in Kirkcaldy just under a year ago.

Children can wait for months for mental-health support on the NHS, and Ann said she was astonished at the demand for the centre’s services.

She said: “I believe in pushing myself, especially for something I am very passionate about.

“The money raised from this climb will be fully invested in the centre and will allow us to extend our reach.”

Ann was among a group visiting a temple in the Nubri valley, a seven-day walk from the nearest road, when the earthquake hit.

They were the last ones out of the temple, which survived almost unscathed, but nearly 80% of homes in the valley collapsed or were damaged.

As surrounding roads were destroyed, she and her group had to be airlifted from the site to Kathmandu.

Back in Fife, Ann raised money to send to the monastery, which gave them food and shelter until they were rescued.

Ann Varney is both excited and nervous to be returning to Nepal, which suffered an earthquake during her last visit.