A NINETEEN-year-old climbing enthusiast from Worcester is set to travel to Africa and scale one of the continent's highest mountains Ollie Jones, of London Road, has set himself the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro - which stands at 19,340 feet - in just six days to raise money for Scope, a disability organisation which aims to achieve equality for people with cerebral palsy.

In order to climb the snow-capped volcano in Tanzania, Mr Jones needs to raise at least £2,800 for the charity. But the member of the Vertical Limit Worcester Indoor Climbing Centre, on Shrub Hill Road, is not perturbed by the challenge which takes place in the middle of February next year.

He said: "I haven't been climbing that long but you don't get this kind of opportunity very often and I'm quite prone to jumping in and tend to think about it later.

"I used to be a gardener when I lived in Devon and that was quite a physical job. I need to do something a bit more active with my life and I have really gone for it in the last year. I just can't seem to get enough of climbing at the moment."

The electrician settled on the idea of climbing to the top of the Roof of Africa' when he met another climber in Wales earlier in the year.

He said: "I had been playing around with the idea for a while and then I met a guy who said he had done it.

"He said it was easy and was playing it down but I think he was just doing that to show off."

Events fund-raiser for Scope, Joanne Pickard, said: "It can take a good nine months to get the sponsorship, the equipment and get fit, so we are just so appreciative of everybody who takes part. We are really pleased that Ollie is joining us on this trip and we wish him well."

To sponsor Ollie visit www. justgiving.com/ollietrek