Vicar raises thousands for Nepal charity walking up and down church's bell tower
The vicar at a church near Kendal has been walking up and down the steps of the bell tower 500 times in one week.
Trainee vicar Craig Bentley, of St Mark's in Natland, is getting to know his church very well, he says he wants to climb the equivalent height of Mount Everest.
He has raised more than £5,000 for the International Nepal Fellowship and the church's community work here. Like many charities they've lost vital fundraising in the pandemic.
He told ITV Border: "I've found myself sleeping downstairs on the couch because I can't face going up another flight of stairs in the house when I get home. Thankfully the two-year old and five-year old wake me up by jumping on me.
He continued: "I don't want to take anything away from those who do actual Everest, but this is for an idea to be COVID-safe- to bring a bit of morale, a bit of happiness.
There are 80 steps going up 18 meters or 60 feet and Craig's got to do it 500 times to reach the equivalent height of Everest, that's both up and down. And his last 10 will be before he conducts the service on Sunday.