A TEAM of BT workers are today preparing themselves for the ultimate charity challenge - climbing to the height of Everest, without actually going anywhere.

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A TEAM of BT workers are today preparing themselves for the ultimate charity challenge - climbing to the height of Everest, without actually going anywhere.

The group of 14 men, who are all work at BT's Adastral Park site in Martlesham, are members of the company's volunteer firefighting team and will be attempting to achieve the remarkable feat through a sponsored ladder climb.

Team member Mark Duckett said: “We will be attempting to climb 8,850 metres via a ladder erected over one of BT's buildings onsite.

“The ladder will be 13m long so the team will need to repeat the journey 885 times!”

Mr Duckett, a test manager for the company, said the group have estimated that the climb could take over six hours to complete.

The event is planned for November 10 and the group hope to raise more than £3,000 to buy a specialist bed for Ipswich Hospital's Somersham ward.

Mr Duckett, of Rushmere St Andrew , said: “We usually try and do some sort of fundraising event every few years and this year we were all agreed that it should be for the Somersham ward.

“In the past few months a number of people we are close to have suffered with cancer and it seemed like the ideal cause.”

The group, who are all trained to the level of retained firefighters, meet for training every Wednesday but Mr Duckett said they are daunted by the prospect of such a long climb.

He said: “We had a bit of a trial run last week so we had an idea of what it will be like, but I think it is going to be pretty tough for everyone.

“We're hoping that there will be a good crowd of BT staff who turn out to watch us on the day so that should spur us on.”

For more information on how to sponsor the men contact Andrew Clark on 01473 646925.

WEBLINK: Ipswich Hospital's Somersham ward: http://ipswichhospital.org.uk/microsites/cancer/somershamasp >