A TEENAGER born with no arm below the elbow is aiming to climb some of the world's highest mountains alongside a lower-leg amputee he met during a television show.

Gareth Walton Stobart, 18, has just returned from Ecuador, in South America, where he was filming for BBC2 programme Beyond Boundaries.

He joined nine other disabled youngsters on the 29-day trek from the Andes mountain range to the Pacific coast for the show, which is in its third series and is due to be screened this autumn.

During the trip, Gareth, who suffers from a muscle deficiency called Poland syndrome, met Sean Cryans, who lives in Berkshire. Sean's leg was amputated following a football injury. The two adventurers forged a firm friendship.

Gareth, of High Jobs Hill, in Crook, County Durham, has already overcome his disability to captain Willington under-18s cricket club and earn the under-18 award for remarkable achievement at The Northern Echo's Local Heroes Awards 2006. Now he has set his sights on even higher things.

He said: "On the trip, we climbed to base camp on a volcano which is 4,800 metres high, which is almost as high as base camp at Everest.

"We did that while pulling a wheelchair with us, because two of the contestants were in wheelchairs.

"Sean and I pulled one together, and we decided together that since we did this, it would be a good thing to do to climb peaks of mountains around the world.

"The main thing is to raise awareness about disability, and to prove that you can do these things. Disablement means nothing if you have the mind and drive to conquer great feats."

In 1992, The Northern Echo wrote about a campaign by Gareth's mother, Liz Ridley, to increase awareness about disability after he and his sister were teased.

Gareth - whose motto is disability drives me further - only returned home on Sunday, but he and Sean are already searching the internet for mountains to climb.

They are looking for sponsorship from companies and individuals to help them achieve their goal of raising awareness.

Anybody interested can call Gareth on 07939-200305.