A while ago we reported on the achievements of the Kent Fire and Rescue Department after they reclaimed the world record for the longest distance climbed on a ladder.  They took just eight hours to climb nearly 43,000 metres between six people and raised money for the fire fighters’ charity as a result.  In Warminster, one man hoped to break the world record for the longest distance climbed on a ladder as a solo attempt: a record that stood at 13,120 metres climbed in 24 hours.

46-year-old roofer, Keith Saunders, wanted to raise money for Raleigh International, a charity that helps people living in the third world, so decided to undertake the ladder climbing challenge.  Being a roofer, he is used to working with ladders as well as working at height, so he should be reasonably comfortable with the heights involved.  He spent several hours training for the attempt with a ladder and fireman’s pole set up similar to the one he used for the record attempt.  In 24 hours he managed to beat his personal goal of the height of Everest (8,484 metres) and went on to achieve a total height of 13,239 metres, beating the world record by 119 metres.

When the 24 hours was up, Saunders was exhausted and told his supporters, “I’m going to spend the next couple of days savouring it and recovering… I have not done anything this ambitious before, the time is now right.  My two kids have grown up and there is nothing stopping me.”

In September he hopes to go to Borneo with the Raleigh International to work with disadvantaged children, and managed to raise £1,800 to fund the trip as a result of breaking the world record.