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Double Amputee Is Climbing The Matterhorn
A double amputee Army veteran who was told he would never walk again has begun an ascent of the Matterhorn
Neil Heritage is hoping to become the first above-the-knee amputee to conquer the four and a half thousand metre summit in Switzerland.
The ex-corporal was blown up by a suicide bomber in Iraq in 2004 and has endured numerous operations.
Speaking from the mountainside alongside his team mates Steve Green and Mark Hooks, Neil told Forces TV.
"We're three ex-soldiers. What we're trying to do is be the first team with a double amputee to summit the Matterhorn. Which sits at 4,500 metres.
"A lot of it's about equipment. I'm climbing on different short legs, stubby legs without a knee joint. That's going to be good for about two thirds of the way. Then I'm going to need to change to ice, crampons and ice axes for the last bit.
"The main challenge is that I use a lot more energy than other people to get around. So this is a big physical challenge."
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