A PRANKSTER who had to be rescued after climbing a 300ft mill chimney for a bet today apologised for his reckless behaviour.

John Gray, of Tythebarn Street, Darwen, climbed 50 feet onto the roof of the town's India Mill and then went on to the top of the chimney using ladders running up the side.

Police and fire crews branded the 40-year-old stupid and foolish for putting his and his rescuers' lives at risk after he got stuck on a ledge 20ft from the ground on the way down.

Police said he was drunk at the time, but today John, a self-employed tradesman, revealed he had done the climb - and three previous ascents of the chimney in the last 15 years - all for charity.

He said: "It's a real buzz when you get up to the top and I really enjoy doing it. The firefighters helped me off the ladder at the bottom because they knew it was for charity.

"The guys there are great and I'm sorry I upset them so I'll take them a bottle of whisky."

John said the Sunday afternoon stunt was for Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

He said: "One of my young relatives went to the hospital and was treated for meningitis and I wanted to give the hospital something back."

John was sponsored by pub-goers at Duckworth's Street's New Inn.

Kelly Scarisbrick, 30, who has been landlady since October, said: "He's mad and it really was a stupid thing to do.

"But it's difficult to put him down completely because it was for charity. However, you can't help but feel sorry for the fire service whose resources were wasted that afternoon."

Security guards alerted the police at 3.30pm who called Darwen firefighters to rescue John from a ledge after he had set off back down the chimney.

John was warned by the police about his conduct and released without charge.

Inspector Andy Cameron, of Blackburn police, said: "This is a particularly stupid thing to do whether someone has been drinking or not. He could easily have fallen as it is a perilous climb."

A spokesperson from Alder Hey said: "It's very dangerous and we wouldn't condone this behaviour, but it's good of him if he actually has raised the money for us."

The mill was transformed in the 1990s and now houses a variety of businesses, including Capita, which provides services from Blackburn with Darwen Council and TV licence services.