Hereford man, 90, 'scales Everest' in back garden

A 90-year-old man has scaled the equivalent height of Mount Everest without leaving his home.

Alan Blake has been climbing and descending 120 stone steps in his Hereford garden through much of the coronavirus pandemic.

Inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore, he has raised more than £20,000 for charity.

After covering more than 69,780 steps over a period of two years, he said: "I'm going to rest now.

"I think I've done all of my walking."

The retired businessman embarked on the fundraising scheme in aid of his local parish church, Rotary Club and research into Parkinson's.

It saw him navigate the steep route down to the river at the bottom of his garden almost every day.

He said: "If I had a project in my life, I always made sure I finished it."

Daughter Maria Blake said she was "incredibly proud" of her father, adding that he had taken the route "in the snow and the frost".

She said: "I think exercise, moving, has got to be good for the soul, and I certainly think it's helped him get through Covid instead of sitting around at home."

Mr Blake has been caring for his wife, Val, who has had Parkinson's for more than 20 years, and their daughter says the cause is important to the family, adding that without medication, her mother would have stopped walking 10 years ago.

Ms Blake said: "I don't think in his wildest dreams he would have hoped he could have raised that much [money]. Hopefully he can be proud of himself now."

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]