Fundraiser climbs Ben Nevis wearing 130lb deep-sea diving suit

A veteran fundraiser has reached the summit of Ben Nevis wearing a 130lb deep-sea diving suit, completing the first stage of his final charity challenge.

Lloyd Scott, who is best known for his world record of taking the longest recorded time to complete a marathon, is attempting to climb the Three Peaks wearing the 58.9kg diving suit.

Tackling Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Mount Snowdon will be the 58-year-old’s final charity challenge, having raised more than £5 million across 30 years for charitable causes.

Mr Scott started the ascent of Scotland’s highest mountain on Sunday and reached the summit on Monday afternoon.

He told the PA news agency that while he was glad he had got the tallest peak over with first, he knows the other two will still be a challenge.

Mr Scott added: “It was absolutely great to finish but it’s only a third done.

“Although on the face of it the other two are not going to be so challenging I have got the fatigue now so it’s going to make them much harder.”

Mr Scott said that other walkers had been making donations to his cause after seeing him climbing the mountain in his diving suit.

He added: “It was wonderful, people have been giving donations going up and coming down, I think the effort was appreciated.

“We had an amazing response from people because they appreciate just what’s involved getting to the top.”

Mr Scott said that the climb had been tougher than expected because the weight of the diving suit meant he could not get momentum going uphill.

“It’s hit me. It has been tougher than I expected,” he said.

“Normally with the diving suit – when I have done marathons and things – you manage to get some momentum going, but with so many steps it hasn’t been like that – it’s almost like doing 10,000 step-ups.

“Probably the worst part for me is getting up at six o’clock in the morning and having to put on a soaking wet, freezing cold, deep-sea diving suit.

“That wasn’t something I was looking forward to. It’s still wet but it’s a bit warmer now.”

After completing Ben Nevis, Mr Scott will now travel to Scafell Pike on Tuesday and begin his climb the next day.

He is raising money for The Lord’s Taverners, a youth cricket and disability sports charity, of which he has been a member for 15 years.

Mr Scott’s first charity challenge was the 1987 London Marathon, which he completed after being diagnosed with leukaemia.

He has since completed an Everest marathon, an underwater marathon, and cycled a Penny Farthing across Australia.

To donate visit https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/lloydscotts3peakschallenge