A MALVERN man who climbed Kilimanjaro said the experience was "horrendous" - but it has whetted his appetite for adventure.

Ian Pitt, aged 39, of Langland Avenue, has recently returned from an expedition to climb Africa's highest mountain and raise money for Asthma UK.

And he is delighted with the fact that the 14-strong team raised a total of £9,000, of which he personally was responsible for bringing in £2,000.

He said the money came from donations by family, friends and colleagues, as well as quiz and skittles evenings at the Cross Keys pub.

He had chosen the charity because his wife and youngest daughter had asthma, and it was the charity of his wife's firm Chem Dry.

He said: "I'm really glad I did it, but at the time it was horrendous. I was doing training on the Malvern Hills, but of course that can't prepare you for the altitude and the cold of the real thing. You get up above 5,000 metres and you have a headache all the time.

"For the last stage of the climb, we started out at 11pm so we were walking thought the night. It was so cold even though we all had lots of layers on."

But the party, all but one who turned back, made it and were rewarded with bright sunshine at the top of the immense volcanic peak.

Now back in the UK, Mr Pitt said the experience has awakened an urge for adventure. He said: "I've never really done anything like that before, and I got a real sense of achievement for doing it. I'm wondering it I should do something else, like the Inca trail, visiting Machu Picchu."