A KNUTSFORD businessman has climbed the highest peak in North Africa to raise money for charity.

Andrew Preston, managing director of Knutsford-based companies de Poel, de Poel healthcare and de Poel Education, has raised more than £3,000 for Scope after scaling Mount Toubkal in the Atlas Mountains.

At 4,165 metres, Mount Toubkal is almost four times the height of Ben Nevis. The money raised by Andrew will help Scope work with disabled people and their families across the UK.

Andrew said: ““It’s been an amazing experience and a real honour to lend my support to help this extremely worthwhile cause. I was absolutely determined to raise the money for Scope and, thanks to the fantastic generosity from all my sponsors, I’ve managed to achieve this ambitious goal and make a genuine difference to people with disabilities across the UK.

“I am fortunate to have experienced many exciting challenges in my life, but reaching the top of Mount Toubkal is a memory I will never forget. I’d sincerely like to thank everyone who has helped me in any way they could.”

Andrew and his team completed the four day climb two months before the scheduled date in November due to bad weather warnings.

As a regular runner and amateur football player, Andrew already had a ‘reasonable’ level of fitness, but to prepare for the challenge he spent weekends in the Lake District tackling some of the areas toughest mountains including Green Gable and Scafell Pike, the tallest in the UK.

“It was a great experience and in aid of very good cause,” he said. “We often are surrounded by life’s luxuries and it was very humbling.

“We had a very good group of people and worked as a team to ensure we all made it to the summit.”

The team are now planning a similar challenge for 2016 and are hoping to encourage others to join them.

To donate visit justgiving.com/owner-email/pleasesponsor/Andrew-Preston8.