Colleagues of a Fort William man recovering from a serious spine injury are undertaking the notorious three peaks challenge.
James Tangney was left temporarily paralysed from the neck down after an accident in India late last year resulted in a broken neck and spinal cord injury.
He underwent surgery in India before he was flown home to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow for intensive physiotherapy, eventually returning home last month.
Mr Tangney, 28, still continues to undergo the intensive rehabilitation process but is now able to get out and about with the access of a wheelchair.
So far, the hardy band of volunteers have raised just over an incredible £18,000 prior to the challenge beginning on August 8.
First in line is Wales tallest peak Snowdon, before the team set their sights on Scafell Pike in the Lake District. The challenge will conclude on August 9 as the Lochaber fundraisers return to their home patch to scale Ben Nevis.
Bryan Simpson, who is a teammate of Mr Tangney’s at Fort William Shinty Club, is one of the four-strong team undertaking the challenge.
Mr Simpson said: “It has been absolutely crazy how much has been raised so far. I never expected it to reach this amount, especially not before we have even taken it on.
“James has been such a big influence on the shinty club as the captain in recent years, bringing younger ones on as they come through to senior level.
“His attitude is just amazing and he always has a smile on his face. He really has attacked this head-on, as with everything he does.
“It was quite hard to see something like this happen and it has really driven home how this can happen to anyone and you never know what is around the corner, but James has a strong family and group of friends behind him.”
Mr Simpson, alongside Craig Forbes and Darren Quigg, will scale the three peaks with the group’s fourth member, Ross Wilson, undertaking the mammoth feat of transporting the fundraisers on their 475-mile journey to each of the peaks.
Mr Simpson added: “Most people aim to do the challenge in under 24 hours but we are hoping to smash that.
“When we first posted the online page we set a target of £2,500 and that was smashed within four or five hours, so we raised it to £3,500 and within 10 hours that had gone as well. We decided we were just going to leave it from there and see where it went.
“I think it shows just how well-liked James is and everybody really has rallied round to give him the best opportunity in his recovery.”
