A documentary charting a journey from the Lake District to China gets its UK premiere ahead of the London Film Festival this weekend.

Filmmaker Gary Robinson and Lakes-production company Cumbria TV's The Beijing Biddies screens at the Curzon Mayfair Cinema this evening.

It is Gary's first feature-length documentary film as a director, and tells the story of Edwina Sorkin and Kate Sleath, who embarked on a 30-day charity challenge to drive to China without a support team, taking on some of the most difficult terrain in the world.

Gary and Andy Gardner drove with them and captured the trials, tears and tribulations of the near 9,000-mile drive.

The film will be screened at the Curzon Mayfair Cinema in London before the BFI London Film Festival starts tomorrow.

It will then be screened at selected cinemas across the UK and Europe and various festivals before being released as a DVD and a download and shown on TV.

Gary said: "It is a such a great story and one that had jeopardy, heart, grit, determination and good old fashioned British steel in it. It also has a purpose with Kate and Edwina carrying on with their fundraising exploits and already have passed the £65,000 mark.

"Making the film was easily a lot more challenging than the 30-day driving challenge that we undertook following the Beijing Biddies."

Biddies Edwina Sorkin, of Newbiggin-on-Lune and Kate, of Wetherby, have also completed a 2,700-mile fundraising journey to Nordkapp in Norway, about 350 miles inside the Arctic Circle.