A LYMM man has spoken out after a life-changing hip operation saw him climbing the tallest peak in Africa a few months later.

John Codling had a hip resurfacing operation at Spire Cheshire Hospital last September after his hobbies became difficult due to back pain.

The fan of climbing, hill walking and road/mountain biking said he became increasingly frustrated as his range of movement was limited and pains in his leg got progressively worse.

After a consultation at Spire Hospital in Stretton, it was decided an operation was needed and John has not looked back since.

He added: “The hip re-surfacing operation was a great success and I was really pleased with the outcome.

“I returned to hill walking after 13 weeks and in January this year I was the oldest of five to succeed in a team of thirteen who walked up Kilimanjaro.

“I was overjoyed with my achievement.

“I had managed to do this only four months after my hip operation and this was something that I couldn’t have even considered prior to the operation.”

On the summit day, John ascended 1,100m in sixteen hours to reach the top of the 5,895m peak and said his hip and surrounding muscles did not trouble him at all during the 80 km six day trek.

He added: “In fact I forgot all about them as the only thing I was concentrating on was coping with the altitude.

“I’m back rock climbing now and my famously bad lack of leg flexibility is no longer an issue.

“I would like to thank Mr Sherry and the staff at Spire Cheshire Hospital, without their professional care and medical attention I would not be able to do the things I am able to do today.”

Paul Sherry, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Cheshire Orthopaedic Centre located within Spire Cheshire Hospital, carried out the operation.

He said the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing technique has been used less in recent years but was the best option for an active patient.

He added: “Having performed very few resurfacings over recent years, interest in this procedure is now re-appearing and, where performed appropriately, the long term results are encouraging.

“Mr Codling wanted to maintain a high level of activity and therefore, after careful discussion, the decision was made to go forward for a BHR procedure.”