A ST ROCCO’S Hospice supporter will be tackling the volcanic climb up Japan’s tallest peak to help raise money for the charity.

Martin Egan will be jetting out to Tokyo in August to tackle scaling the 12,389ft high Mount Fuji after squeezing in training for the challenge after being injured in a bike accident last year.

The 56-year-old said: “I was over there three years ago just before the tsunami. I could see it from where I was living and I thought I would like to get closer to it.

“I was going to do it last year but I missed the window between June and August because there’s a chance of snow otherwise.”

But Martin, of Withycombe Road, Penketh, has had to delay his training while he recovers from an injury he sustained on his bike which saw him pull out of a previous fundraiser for the hospice cycling across Ireland.

He further aggravated the injury after taking part in Strictly St Rocco’s in December dancing a quickstep.

“I’m looking at three months of training and I will be using Snowdon as a training route,” he added. “It’s like walking on the moon and it will take a couple of days to get to the top.

“There is a base on the mountain that I’ll be staying at for two days.

“They give you a map which you need though it’s the busiest time to climb so people from around the world will be there climbing it too.

“They say 90 per cent of accidents happen going down rather than going up.”

Martin has also been helped out with donations of kit from Decathlon, on Winwick Road.

He has been a long term supporter of the hospice and will be collecting money across the town.

Martin said: “The work the hospice does is vital and they need the money.”

If you would like to donate to Martin’s challenge contact the hospice on 575780.