A NEW Forest pensioner is taking on the height of Mount Everest in a challenge that will see him never more than a few feet from sea level.

John Hunt, 80, is the CEO and Founder of Lotus Flower Trust.

He is climbing the height of Mount Everest in a five week challenge alongside 450 boys and staff from Winchester College, to help raise funds for the Lotus Flower Trust.

The 80-year-old is nearing the target of 30,000ft to complete the virtual climb by using a climbing machine.

His virtual journey started on August 21 and John plans to "reach the summit" on September 24 - exactly 100 years to the day since the 1921 team reached the North Col, the anniversary of what was then the highest anyone had ever climbed.

John is hoping to raise £100k towards funding three major projects to help ease poverty, climate change and support education in India after the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The fundraiser is currently just past £20,000.

Having recovered from prostate cancer in 2019, and survived Covid-19 and a heart attack in 2020, John is now fit enough to complete the challenge.

He said: “I know it’s a cheat to climb Everest in any way but the proper way, but following the path Sir Captain Tom Moore set for us all, I feel the effort to be well worthwhile."

"We hope that through donations from crowdfunding and sponsorship, in partnership with Winchester College, we can raise our target of £100,000.”

Winchester College has been supporting the Lotus Flower Trust for the past 11 years, with students raising more than £250,000 during this time.

Despite experiencing better weather conditions, John's challenge is by no means an easy one and if he had taken on the real thing it would have made him the oldest man to reach the summit since Yuichiro Miura from Japan in May 2013, who was aged 80 years and 224 days.

The oldest British man was Sir Ranulph Fiennes who accomplished the real thing in May 2009 aged 65.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/WINCOLLLFTMalloryNorthColEverestChallenge