Soldiers don Bomb Disposal suit to Scale the Three Peaks in Aid of Amputees

Two army bomb disposal experts and an ex-soldier whose brother was killed diffusing a bomb in Northern Ireland are set to take on the 'Three Peaks Challenge' wearing a 35 kg bomb disposal suit.

They hope to raise £50,000 to fund an adaptive skiing trip for 15 servicemen and women who have lost limbs while on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Major Colin Whitworth MBE, who lost an arm when a car bomb detonated in Northern Ireland in 1993, is leading the team as they scale Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.

He will be joined by Warrant Officer Nick Handy, who is currently serving as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) operator in Northern Ireland, and Mr Sean Walsh, formerly of The Royal Welsh Fusiliers, whose brother, Sgt Martin Walsh, was killed while attempting to diffuse a device in Northern Ireland in 1977. Major Whitworth recently served as a bomb disposal advisor to the US Forces in Baghdad. Nick Handy has also served in Iraq as EOD operator.

The men aim to complete one peak each wearing the suit, with the other two climbing alongside in support.

If the men reach their target of £50,000, it will fund the participation of 15 members of The British Limbless Ex Servicemen's Association (BLESMA) in The Hartford Ski Spectacular in December 2008 at Breckenridge in Colorado. It is the largest adaptive ski event in the world and the British military contingent will include two triple amputees and three double amputees.

Major Whitworth said: "This will be a tough challenge for all of us but it's to fund a very important trip. I remember when I first lost my arm, BLESMA took me on one of these ski trips and it totally rebuilt my confidence. It introduced me to lots of other amputees and made me realise how much it is possible achieve after an amputation.

"Some of those who we hope to take this year have sustained horrendous injuries on operations and this is a vital part of their rehabilitation. As members of the Armed Forces, most of them were extremely fit and active before they were injured. 75 members of the US Armed Forces will also take part and it's a great opportunity for the guys to share their experiences and to come to terms with their injuries.

"With the fantastic medical care and welfare support that the Army provides, lots of these men and women could potentially return to their units as serving soldiers, despite the severity of their injuries. This trip is the first step to most of them realising just how much is still possible as an amputee. It really can be a life-changing experience for them so anything that you can afford to donate, no matter how small, will be a massive help to us."

The men will begin the challenge by climbing Ben Nevis (1344m) on the 03 Oct, followed by Scafell Pike (978m) on the 5th October and finally Snowdon (1085m) on the 6th October 2008.

The public can donate money and send messages of support through the website:www.justgiving.com/bombsuitchallenge

For further information see:

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/7647874.stm