Daventry man who suffered stroke preparing to take on Mount Everest challenge

A man from Northamptonshire who suffered a stroke in 2011 has started training to climb to the base camp of Mount Everest.

Andy Ibbott from Daventry had to learn how to walk again after the stroke left him with partial paralysis down the right side of his body.

Despite that though, he's shown incredible determination to get walking again, and now has his sights set on making it 5,600 metres up Everest to the base camp when he takes on the challenge in May.

The base camp of Mount Everest. Credit: PA

"Any thought of just walking was a huge step," Andy said.

"Once I was walking again, I'd walk around the garden, then walk along the road and then walk to the school and back - and it all has to be gradual.

"Ten years on, I've now got Everest looking at me in the distance, going: 'Come on!'"

Andy's mammoth trek up Everest won't be the first challenge he's taken on - he took part in the Marathon des Sables in the Sahara Desert three years ago.

Andy Ibbott is preparing to climb Everest in May. Credit: ITV News Anglia

However, scaling Everest will arguably present an even bigger obstacle, but as always, Andy will take it all in his stride.

"The right leg will drag a bit, but we'll get there," Andy told ITV News Anglia.

"The oxygen is going to be harder and harder as you get up, and for me, balancing the oxygen and how well I'm feeling is going to be the biggest challenge of them all."

As a former motorcycle racing coach, Andy is aiming to raise £10,000 for the charity Riders for Health.

He's been preparing for the trek by doing workouts with personal trainer Matt Glass to help build up his leg strength.

"Being around Andy, he's such a positive and inspirational person," Matt said.

"Obviously, when he told us it came as no surprise to us that he wanted to do something like this."