Manchester Arena bomb survivor starts Kilimanjaro challenge

Martin Hibbert says he is "ready to smash" Mount Kilimanjaro

A man seriously injured in the Manchester Arena bombing has started his charity climb up Mount Kilimanjaro.

Martin Hibbert from Chorley, Lancashire, was one of the closest people to the bomb to survive the 2017 blast but was left paralysed from the waist down.

He is using a specially-adapted wheelchair and is raising funds for the Spinal Injury Association.

Mr Hibbert said he was "ready to smash it".

Speaking to BBC Breakfast as he was about to start climbing Africa's highest mountain, he said: "I've always wondered why we survived being so close [to the blast].

"It occurred to me when I saw Kilimanjaro up close; it's for this moment.

"This is the reason why I survived; to change perception of disability, to actually show if we embrace or celebrate disability look at what we can do.

"We can literally climb mountains."

He added: "I'm ready to smash it now."

Martin Hibbert is raising money for the Spinal Injury Association

Mr Hibbert has been preparing for the climb for more than two years, including altitude training and preparing for freezing conditions.

He is joined on the climb by two of the nurses who cared for him.

The trek comes after the city marked five years since the atrocity, on 22 May 2017, at the end of an Ariana Grande concert, which killed 22 people and injured hundreds more.

Among events to remember those who died, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge officially opened a memorial for the victims.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]