A FURNITURE sprayer from Leyland has conquered the highest peak in Great Britain in his first ever mountain climb for charity.

Stephen Wareing, 31, from East Street, reached the top of 4,408ft Ben Nevis on Saturday, October 14, and raised £270 for the Neurofibromatosis Association (NfA).

Other eager climbers were fund-raising for the National Kidney Association and the National Children's Homes Association.

And Stephen wasn't short of support as he was cheered along the way by childhood friends Lesley Mercer, 32, and Kane Montgomery, 32, from Leyland.

Stephen, a father-of-one, said: "My two friends and I came across some leaflets giving information about the climb while visiting Leyland Leisure Centre.

"I often do things for charity such as 24-hour football, snooker and darts competitions, so I decided to give it a go.

"I have never done anything like this before, but that didn't bother me.

"However, I must admit that I nearly packed it in halfway, but I pushed on, broke through the pain barrier and then I was fine.

"The only trouble was that I had really wobbly legs coming back down.

"When I was at the top it was the best feeling in the world -- I could see for what seemed like hundreds of miles and it was beautiful."

He added: "I do these things because I feel like I always need a challenge on the go and if I do it for charity then somebody else gets something out of it as well."

Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder which can be fatal -- it causes brain and spinal tumours, behavioural problems and malformation of bones.

It affects over 23,000 people in the UK and little is known about it so the NfA do all they can to raise awareness, change attitudes and support those diagnosed with it.

This is the fourth year the the NfA have done the challenge where each individual has to raise £300, which after expenses, goes to the costs of these services.

Stephen gained a lot of satisfaction from the money he raised for NfA and has got the bug so badly that he is trying to convert all his friends into action men for aid.

He said: "I am now trying to get people from work involved in this kind of thing because the more I recruit the more money there is going to good causes.

"The next one we will do is the three highest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland -- Scafell Pike, Snowdonia and Ben Nevis."

Good luck Stephen.