Disabled Iain Fryatt has stunned experts by climbing the highest free-standing mountain in the world – in a wheelchair made in Nantwich!
Iain achieved a world first by reaching Uhuru Peak on Mt Kilimanjaro, a height of 5,895 metres, using the all-terrain Mountain Trike designed and built on Wybunbury Road in Walgherton.
Iain, from Kent, has a condition called Friedreich’s Ataxia, which he was diagnosed with at the age of nine.
The degenerative disease primarily affects the nervous system and the heart, meaning Iain needs to use a wheelchair.
With a support team, he took eight days to climb the mountain and two days to descend.
The final climb day started at 3am, up steep scree to Gilman’s Point (5685m) and then along the crater rim to Stella Point (5756m) and finally up Uhuru Peak.
Iain said: “Although there were a variety of landscapes the Trike went through, they all had one thing in common… rocks!
“At times these sorely tested the mettle of the Mountain Trike, at other times they meant I had to be pulled, pushed or lifted to get round them.
“Despite these obstacles the Mountain Trike survived the trek, having only sustained a broken steering cable.
“Without the Mountain Trike it would not have been possible for me to take part in this adventure which only a few years ago I couldn’t even dream of doing.”
He took on the challenge to raise money for Ataxia, UK to help fund research into a possible new treatment called Nicotinamide.
Nantwich entrepreneur Tim Morgan, managing director and inventor of Mountain Trike, said: “It is an amazing achievement for Iain to have made it to the summit of Kilimanjaro.
“The Mountain Trike has been used to ascend mountains in the UK such as Snowdon and Ben Nevis but has never been used before to climb the extremely challenging mountain of Mt Kilimanjaro.
“We supplied Iain and his team with spare bits of kit in case they needed them.
“I had every confidence the Mountain Trike would live up to its reputation and get Iain to the top.
“To come back with just a broken steering cable is testament to the high spec technology and quality components.
“I’m proud of Iain and proud the Mountain Trike has helped him achieve his dream.”
For more information or to donate to Iain’s cause here http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=iainfryatt
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