Ben Nevis's summit. Photo: Angus CC-BY-SA-2.0

A paralysed man has summited the UK’s highest mountain in an effort involving a team of 18 and a trip lasting 12 hours.

Barry West, a tetraplegic wheelchair user made the ascent of Ben Nevis on Sunday, helped by Westy’s Warriors, who dragged, carried, pushed and pulled the 34-year-old through snow to reach the 1,344m (4,409ft) Lochaber summit.

Now, Mr West and his team plan to tackle Wales’s highest mountain Snowdon and then Scafell Pike in the Lake District as part of training for their ultimate goal: the ascent of Kilimanjaro.

The Nevis ascent was the result of a chance meeting in a pub between the Barry West and mountaineer Graeme Morrison, former chair of the mountain safety committee of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland.

A year on and, with support from Boat of Garten-based Morrison, who oversaw the safety arrangements for the Nevis ascent, Barry and his Westy’s Warriors were able to crack open the champagne on the summit.

Mr West said: “We all knew it was going to be tough, but we may not have realised just how tough.

“However, we’re not stopping here; our next challenge is to climb Snowdon, which we’re doing in July and fundraising for Back Up.”

The charity, for which Barry West works, helps those with spinal cord injuries. Barry himself was left paralysed from the shoulders down following a road accident 15 years ago.

Graeme Morrison, who runs GM Mountaineering, said: “When I was a volunteer with MCofS we spent a great deal of time developing our approach to equity and considering how we might break down the barriers to people’s enjoyment of our mountains.

“Barry’s story and his successful ascent on Sunday really bring home the fact that with some inspiration and commitment we can break down those barriers. Later this year, we plan to support Barry in his attempt to achieve the Three Peaks Challenge in 48 hours, and Killy will follow if all goes well.”

Organisers said they believed no-one in a wheelchair with Barry’s level of disability has ever previously reached the summit of Ben Nevis in the snow.

The team had to cope with summit snow for the last 1½ hours of the ascent and also suffered a puncture on the wheelchair.

The attempt on the 5,895m (19,341ft) Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, is planned for May next year.