Northampton man scales Mount Kilimanjaro walking backwards

Ben Stewart has become the first person to climb up and down Kilimanjaro backwards

A charity has hailed a personal trainer who is back home after becoming the first person to climb backwards up and down Africa's highest mountain.

Ben Stewart, 32, from Northampton, reversed to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, and back, to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

Mr Stewart had already scaled some of Britain's mountains backwards.

He raised funds for the charity following his grandfather's death.

Jon Frost, a fundraising manager for the British Heart Foundation, said: "The money raised by Ben will help fund lifesaving research, which will get us one step closer to breakthroughs that could help save and improve millions of lives."

Ben Stewart celebrates at the summit of Kilimanjaro

Mr Stewart said the trek was "the hardest thing I have done in my life".

Two people, one from South Africa and one from Nepal, have walked backwards up the 5,895m (19,340ft) African mountain - but not down.

Mr Stewart, whose grandfather died aged 65 in 2010 after a heart attack, had a team to guide him but said he was not worried about falling.

His training included using a special device to help strengthen his neck to cope with long periods of needing to look over his shoulder.