A GRANDFATHER has spoken of his pride at becoming the oldest person to climb one of the world’s highest mountains.

Pensioner Reg Alexander conquered Kilimanjaro in August, and has just been confirmed as the world record holder for completing the challenge at the age of 78.

The retired civil engineer from Darlington, now 79, is to be included in Guinness World Records for reaching the summit of the 19,341ft peak in Tanzania – Africa’s tallest mountain.

And Mr Alexander, of Danesmoor Crescent, is already making plans to break the record again.

“I’m hoping to do it again in another year’s time, and become the first person in their 80s to do it,” he said.

“I have been walking all my life. I love rambling and wandering over the hills.

“I’m not as quick as I used to be, but often the slower you get, the better your chances are. A lot of youngsters try to rush it and they injure themselves or get mountain sickness.

It’s a bit of an adventure.

People think I’m mad, but I have got to have some objective in life.”

Mr Alexander, a father-oftwo, with three grandchildren, has climbed Kilimanjaro twice previously, and said his latest attempt was nearly doomed before the start.

“I was trying to get out of the car when we first arrived and I got my leg caught. I’ve got pretty bad knees and one of my legs bent behind me.

They can’t really do that any more, so I thought I was in big trouble. I was in pain, but I didn’t want to give up after travelling all that way. Luckily, I managed to walk it off on my first day and kept plugging away.”

Mr Alexander, a member of the local rambling club in Darlington, said he plans to climb mountains for as long as he is able.

He said: “You see these pictures of people in old folks’ homes, sitting around just waiting for the next one to fall off the perch. That would be no good for me – you might as well get out and do something.

“If you are going to drop dead, you may as well do it on top of a mountain.”