Ex-rugby player attempts huge mountain climb

Ed Jackson has taken on a number of challenges since breaking his neck in 2017

A former professional rugby player turned disabled adventurer is set to take on his biggest challenge yet in a huge mountain challenge.

Ed Jackson played for Bath and Wasps before his career ended when he broke his neck in a swimming pool accident in 2017 and was told he would never walk again.

Since then he has taken on climbing challenges around the world, launched a charity and had a film made about his journey.

Along with a team, Mr Jackson will attempt to reach one of the highest peaks undertaken by people with disabilities - a feat he hopes will "plant a flag in the ground for accessible adventure".

"We're not just climbing a mountain — we're shifting mindsets, breaking barriers, and opening the door to future explorers who've been told they don't belong here," he added.

The two-week expedition will see Mr Jackson, disabled adventurer Luke Tarrant, and their team explore the remote Tien Shan mountain range in Kyrgyzstan.

From basecamp, they will aim to summit a previously unclimbed peak of more than 5,000 metres (16,404 ft).

Mr Jackson hopes the world-first challenge will "rewrite the rules of who gets to explore, and prove that with the right mindset, innovation, and support, anything is possible".

He admits that that there may be a "less than 50%" of reaching the peak of the mountain but says it will be an adventure.

The Tien Shan mountains stretch across large parts of Kyrgyzstan in central Asia

The team will be fundraising for Millimetres 2 Mountains, the charity co-founded by Mr Jackson to support "others overcoming adversity through adventure".

If they are successful, the team will have the chance to name the mountain.

"This is Kyrgyzstan's mountain, whether we get to the top first or not.

"We want the kids of Kyrgyzstan with disabilities to name the mountain, so that they have got something to inspire them," Mr Jackson said.