An uncle is to scale one of the world's highest mountains to raise money for his severely disabled nephew.Dave Bateson is attempting to raise £4,500 by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, the largest free-standing mountain.
The money will buy a wheelchair and stairlift for 14-year-old Ryan Padgett, who suffers from muscle wasting disease muscular dystrophy.
Ryan has lost his mobility and is in need of 24-hour care.
Dave, 29, a freelance website developer from Barrowford, will push himself to his physical and mental limits as over 40 per cent of people who attempt the climb turn back before reaching the top. Temperatures range from 30C at the base to minus 20C at the summit.
Dave said: "I was wanting to get into mountaineering and I was told Kilimanjaro was one of the best and most challenging to start with.
"I've been training three or four times a week, swimming climbing and going to the gym. I'll be training all year to make sure I'm physically in great shape, but I'm under no illusions as to just how tough it will be. For me the altitude will be the biggest test, as there's no way I can replicate that before I go." Dave is no stranger to challenges, having prev-iously competed in rally driving at a national level and recently walking 85 miles across England following Hadrian's wall.
Dave hopes to secure sponsorship by June and climb in September. Ryan is very close to me. When I'm not training in the great British weather, the motivation will come from the charities I am supporting. Money raised will also be going to Oxfam."
Source: http://www.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.uk
