FORMER soldier Neil Spencer and police officer Lee Umpleby are fitness fanatics but they are aiming for some good to come from their obsession.
In 2010, Newport adventurer Richard Parks climbed South Wales’ highest mountain, Pen y Fan, seven times in 24 hours.
Neil and Lee plan to copy that feat – but to start it immediately after completing the Fan Dance, a 24km march through the Brecon Beacons which itself includes two ascents of Pen y Fan.
Neil was seriously wounded while serving in Iraq with the First Battalion of the Royal Welch Fusilliers.
Following a suicide attack, he lost half the use of his left hand and also suffered from post-traumatic stress.
In previous challenges, he has raised £4,500 for various charities.
On this occasion, part of the money raised from the pair’s efforts will go to the post-traumatic stress charity Talking2Minds. The rest will benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Trust in honour of four-year-old cystic fibrosis sufferer Amy Smith, from Newport, the daughter of a friend of Neil’s wife.
We salute Neil and Lee and wish them luck as they attempt to go one step better than Richard Parks in this particular challenge. We suspect the former Dragons rugby star won’t mind too much if they succeed.
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