A FATHER struck down by cancer twice in recent years saw his fundraising efforts move closer to a £35,000 milestone after taking on England’s highest mountain.

Paul McGeary, of Newton Aycliffe, was 33 years old when he was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer which he has battled into remission two times through gruelling programmes of chemotherapy.

Since then the now 36-year-old has been the face of a fundraising drive dubbed #NotOneInch - with friends, family and strangers coming together in a series of fundraising challenges and events to raise more than £30,000.

The fund total was given a boost on Saturday thanks to a sponsored climb of Scafell Pike and a white collar boxing match.

Mr McGeary said: “I can’t thank everyone enough for this weekend. Fundraising has been steady recently, but I felt it needed a shot in the arm.

"Despite everything I’ve been through, I hadn’t actually contributed to any of the challenges.

"I challenged myself to climb Scafell, and thankfully a few of the guys said they’d come along to make sure I got up there.”

The Sedgefield Community College teacher was one of seven to reach the Lake District peak in under four hours to add £1,190 to the fund total.

He was joined by John Close, Paul O’Connor, Andrew Armitage, Peter Cross, Stephen Rowell and his daughter, eight-year-old Fearne Rowell, who was tackling her first peak.

Meanwhile Mr McGeary’s friend Jonathan Clarke, 29, of Newton Aycliffe, raised more than £1,000 by taking part in his first ever white collar boxing match, claiming a points victory over his opponent on Saturday evening at Darlington’s Dolphin Centre.

Mr McGeary added: “And for Jonathan to not only accept the boxing challenge, but to actually win his battle too is fantastic, and indicative of everything we are trying to do with the fundraising and awareness for Bloodwise.”

His friends Darren Smith and Dan Lewis are also currently fundraising in an attempt to break the £35,000 barrier.

Mr Lewis hopes to complete the Coast-to-Coast cycle challenge next week while Mr Smith has a running event later this month. Both men will also take part in the Great North Run in September.

For more details, to get involved and donate email mcgearypaul@hotmail.co.uk