Two dads have scaled the equivalent height of the world’s tallest building to raise cash for a County Durham hospital’s children’s ward.
Newton Aycliffe workmates Andy Braid and Elliott Young scrambled up the seven-metre climbing walls 130 times each at the ROF 59 activity centre in Newton Aycliffe.
The feat was the equivalent of climbing the Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, which stands at about 830 metres.
SCH Site Services employees Andy and Elliott, who are both dads, said they wanted to raise money for the children’s ward in case they ever need their services in the future.
They have already smashed their target of £1,000 by raising more than £1,600 so far.
Former Royal Engineers corporal Andy, who’s married with one child and is operations director at steel firm SCH, told Aycliffe Today: “We wanted an historic landmark that we could climb the equivalent of.
Click here to see our short film of Andy and Elliott completing their challenge
“We went through the Eiffel Tower and the Sage, but it wasn’t as much of a challenge as the Burj Khalifa, and you can’t get much better than the tallest building in the world, can you?”
After completing the gruelling four-hour challenge, 42-year-old Andy said: “It uses muscles you don’t normally use and it takes a lot out of you.
“The more you get drained the more you start making mistakes and the climbs become harder and harder.
“Although it’s an easy wall, a kids’ activity wall, when you’re doing it 130 times it soon takes its toll.”
Elliott and his partner Faye have one child, five-month-old Poppie, and the 24-year-old said: “We visited the children’s ward and we couldn’t believe how much they have to pay for themselves, so it seemed like a good charity to do this for.
“So we wanted to do something to raise money before, if we ever need it, rather than raising money for the children’s ward afterwards.
“I would say it’s harder than the Great North Run. I’m alright with the fitness side but it’s more upper body strength this time round.”
You can donate to Andy and Elliott’s JustGiving fundraising page by clicking here.
