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Man with MND scales peak in Rob Burrow's memory

Ian Flatt Team at the top of Pen y Fan with Ian FlattIan Flatt
Ian Flatt is now more than halfway through his seven peak challenge

A man diagnosed with motor neurone disease has reached the top of one of Wales' best known mountains in memory of rugby league legend Rob Burrow.

Pen y Fan in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park - also known as the Brecon Beacons - is the fourth of seven which Ian Flatt, 58, plans to scale in three weeks.

He is taking part in an adapted wheelchair and was joined by former Welsh rugby internationals including Alun Donovan and Leigh Davies.

Ian, from Green Hammerton, north Yorkshire, said previous weather conditions had been "brutal", but he was determined to raise money for the Leeds Hospitals Charity Rob Burrow MND Centre.

Ian and the team reached the top in just under two hours and flew the Welsh flag to celebrate.

He said the beautiful Welsh weather and a breakfast of chocolate cake made sure he was raring to go.

He has raised about £35,000 through his challenges.

"It’s so important for the MND community to have a place where we can be cared for, where our families can feel that we’re all being cared for, that we’re getting the right facilities, the right environment - it’s absolutely crucial."

Mr Flatt was diagnosed in 2019, just months before the Leeds Rhinos rugby star and fellow MND campaigner.

"I was due to see Rob day after he passed so it was heartbreaking to hear the news that he had died, but what a legacy that man has created. A phenomenal human," he said.

Burrow's diagnosis came two years after he retired from a 17-year career which saw him win eight Super League Grand Finals, three World Club Challenges and two Challenge Cups.

He died at the age of 41 on 2 June.

Ian Flatt with friends
Ian Flatt had a team with him to climb Pen y Fan

Mr Flatt was joined by supporters and friends who helped him up the peak and called them "a wonderful community of inspiration".

Those who joined Ian included ex-Wales international Alecs Donovan, who said she "wanted to show our support".

Kevin Ellis, a former professional rugby league and rugby union player, said it was a cause "close to his heart".

"I’ve played for Warrington and we’ve had players pass away with it, like Mike Gregory and Paul Darbyshire," he added.

Leigh Davies said it was a "cruel disease".

Ian with his family
Ian was alsio joined on the climb by his wife Rachael (left) and daughter Charley (right)

Mr Flatt, is married to Rachael and has two daughters, Isea and Charley.

Charley, who joined him on the climb said her dad was her "hero".

She added: "I’m so unbelievably proud, every time we do these walks I’m so overwhelmed with emotion.

"Although MND is a sad thing, we always try to be as positive as we can be, you have to cherish your friends and family, because that's what gets you through."

The seven mountain challenge is a reminder of the number Burrow once wore and began on 15 June.

Mr Flatt now has just three mountains left - Ben Chonzie in Scotland and Skiddaw in the Lake District before finishing with the Yorkshire Matterhorn on 7 July.

What is Motor Neurone Disease?

  • It most typically affects people over 50, but adults of any age can be affected
  • It affects cells in the brain and spinal cord (motor neurones) that allow us to move, speak, swallow and breathe by sending commands from the brain to the muscles that carry out these functions, meaning the cells stop working over time
  • There is no cure, but there are treatments to help reduce the impact it has and some people live with it for many years