CHARITY climber Paul Stratton has taken his attempt to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro so seriously he spent the last week before his trip sleeping in an oxygen-deprived tent.

The 44-year-old from Hilperton, who set off for Africa on Sunday, had a hypobaric tent put up around his bed so it would better prepare him for the conditions as he climbs the 5,895m high mountain.

The tent fits around a double bed - but fed up with the constant whirring of the machine, his wife Sally, 36, decided she'd had enough and escaped upstairs to the attic.

Mr Stratton said: "The tent has a machine that pumps out depleted air and there is a digital device that tells you what level it is at. It simulates what conditions will be like at 10,000 feet. "

The usual timescale for non-professionals to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, is eight days but Mr Stratton will be attempting it in just three.

His father Eugene, 75, has gone as well and will be climbing some of the smaller mountains as Mr Stratton acclimatises to the conditions. Mr Stratton senior will be going on safari instead of attempting Kilimanjaro, which his son is due to start climbing tomorrow.

Mr Stratton is raising money for Bristol-based charity Action for ME, in memory of his brother Neil, who suffered from the condition for 14 years and died in December last year. He has already raised £9,000.

Barnaby Bear, the mascot from Paxcroft Primary School in Trowbridge, is accompanying him on the trip and Mr Stratton will be visiting the school on his return to tell the children about his experience.

The first leg of the trip was supposed to start on Monday, with Mr Stratton climbing the smaller Mount Meru, but a late plane meant an unscheduled overnight stay in Nairobi.

His wife Sally said she and the couple's children Lee, nine, and Jemma, seven, who are pupils at Paxcroft School, were very proud of him.

To sponsor Mr Stratton online, visit www.justgiving.com/paulstratton