A Great Harwood man is to climb the world's highest freestanding mountain to raise money for the cancer support nurses who cared for his dying father.

Eddie Whittle, 27, of Sawley Drive, will join a party of other climbers in an assault on Mount Kilimanjaro to help Macmillan Cancer support nurses.

He chose the charity after "their fantastic job" while his father was in the East Lancashire Hospice, Blackburn.

He is aiming to raise £15,000 and has already received £8,000 in pledges.

Eddie's father, John Whittle, grew up in Mill Hill and was, Eddie said, "a real Blackburn lad".

In preparation for the trek Eddie has scaled the Yorkshire Three Peaks, braved the Lake District mountains and climbed Ben Nevis.

He will set off for Tanzania in January for the six-day climb to Kilimanjaro's Uhuhru peak, just under 6,000 metres (about 19,500ft) high.

Eddie said it was the Macmillan nurses who inspired him. "I thought if they can do that, day in day out, helping people so well then I could push myself to climb up a mountain."

Eddie's father died in January this year, aged 59, 18 months after he was diagnosed with cancer.

"The nurses were wonderful changing his medication when it wasn't proving effective and they helped him to be active throughout his illness. He thought a lot of his Macmillan nurses."

Eddie vowed to take up the challenge while his father was still alive: "He probably thought I was mad but he'd be proud I think."

To sponsor Eddie, an IT Manager at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, visit www.justgiving.com/kilimanjaro07 or he can be contacted on 07760407071.