Major Phil Packer in climbing action

Two celebrity walkers today completed their ascent of Snowdon as part of the Sport Relief effort.

Phil Packer, who suffered spinal injuries while on active duty in Iraq, and TV presenter Kate Silverton summited Wales’s highest mountain earlier today after having reached the top of Scafell Pike as part of their Three Peaks attempt. They had been beaten back by severe weather 100m from the top of Ben Nevis on the first day of their challenge.

The pair had aimed to complete the challenge in 72 hours but retreated from the mountain after 10 hours trying to reach the summit. Packer’s effort was even more remarkable for the fact he was told after being injured in 2008 that he would never walk again.

The Sport Relief website reported him as saying: “The snow was much deeper than I’d anticipated. I did not expect the conditions to fatigue my body as quickly as they did – and so early on.” The former Royal Military Police major has no feeling in his legs. It took him 14 days to complete the London Marathon course on his crutches.

Ms Silverton said of the Nevis ordeal: “’Today was an extremely tough climb and the whole team were tested. Phil was extraordinarily determined and was clearly never going to give up.

“But the weather was against us in so many ways and we encountered some of the worst conditions on Ben Nevis anyone had seen in a while. After more than10 hours of solid climbing and faced with a complete white out, we made the decision based on safety to come down – just 100m from the ascent.

“Five hours of climbing in the dark followed and we were all utterly exhausted by the end of it. Having said that, we’ve had a tremendous day, surrounded by a magnificent team of Phil’s friends, all professionals in their field and all determined to ensure we complete our next two climbs of Scafell Pike and Snowdon.”

Silverton and Packer were joined on their Snowdon ascent by Sir Clive Woodward, former England rugby union player and coach, and Olympic gold-medal rower Sir Steve Redgrave.