A PARAMEDIC from Shrewsbury is planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of Hope House.

Nigel Davies, 45, from Sundorne is due to set off on September 2 and hopes to reach the summit of 19,350ft mountain on September 8 or 9.

The Shrewsbury born and bred father of one has paid for the trip himself, and says it’s is part of his summer holiday.

Explaining why he is raising money for the children’s hospice, Nigel said: “They do amazing work but get very, very little, if any, government funding.

"I was part of the ambulance crew to take the first patient to Hope House at Morda (Oswestry),

“Ever since then I’ve raised funds for them. It usually involves mountains - I like mountains!” he said.

In his time, he said, he has done the three peaks challenge with seven different teams.

“If I’m doing a challenge I think someone else should benefit from that.”

He said he would be spending about seven days on the mountain, going from about 30 degrees celsius at the base to minus 20 at the top.

"This is the highest climb that anyone can do just by walking and without the need for climbing equipment,” said Nigel, “I've previously climbed mountains in Britain and the 14,000 feet high Inca Trail in Peru.

"To prepare for this climb, I've been doing a lot of hill walking between shifts and building up aerobic capacity in the gym and on my bike."

“The only thing you can’t train for is altitude, because it affects everyone differently.

“On the comic relief Kilimanjaro climb in 2009 the only person who wasn’t affected was Chris Moyes - and he’s not exactly the fittest person.

“A lot of it is mindset - you’ve got to believe you can get to the top and will do it, that’s half the battle.”

To sponsor Nigel, visit his Justgiving website at www.justgiving.com/nigeonkili