Ex-soldier takes on Everest challenge

An ex-soldier who was seriously injured while on duty is planning a charity mission that will see him climb Mount Everest with other members of the armed forces.

Private Karl Hinnett left the army in 2008, after falling into a coma and suffering extensive burns when he became trapped in a burning tank in Iraq, the BBC reports.

He has since recovered and retrained as a gym instructor and pledged to complete 100 marathons, with 36 races already completed around the world this year.

Mr Hinnet has now been selected to take part in a team who will raise funds for Walking With The Wounded – which was established in 2010 – by scaling Mount Everest.

They have already climbed Manias in the Himalayas, which the fundraiser says was "indescribable".

"I have a better outlook on life. It is a pretty fragile thing. I try to live and experience as much as I can," he says.

Posted by Trevor Smith