A LAWYER is taking on the challenge of a lifetime to climb 5,364 metres to reach the base of Mount Everest.

Christine Bunting, 59, who works with parents of children with brain injures at Hyphen Law, has previously skydived over Salisbury Plain and wing-walked on a 1940s Boeing Stearman biplane for the charity Cerebra.

The trek however, which is four times the height of the UK's tallest mountain Ben Nevis, will push her beyond the limits of endurance.

She said: “I can’t say I am looking forward to the possibility of getting altitude sickness or the extreme cold - rumour has it that it can reach minus 15 degrees at night – but while the trek will be a significant physical and mental test for me, it’s nothing compared to the challenges that families with children living with brain conditions deal with every day of their lives.

“The climb to Everest Base Camp will be an experience of a lifetime and to be able to do it while raising funds for Cerebra’s tremendous work supporting children with brain conditions and their families is a fantastic opportunity.”

After acclimatising to the altitude with smaller walks Christine will complete her extreme four-day ascent to the camp this week.

Sir David Hempleman-Adams, who is set to do a solo trip sailing across the Atlantic and was the first person to geographic and magnetic north and south poles, gave her some words of support before she left.

He said: “What an incredible opportunity of a lifetime for Christine and one that not many people get to experience. She can look forward to a challenging but very special few weeks ahead!

"The secret is to acclimatise well and that means taking a good, slow pace, ascending to altitude slowly, getting plenty of rest, eating good food, sleeping well and drinking plenty of fluids. That way, she’ll avoid the dreaded altitude sickness and get to enjoy the experience.”

Chris Jones, chief executive at Cerebra, said: “Families where a child has a brain condition face challenges every day. Just to learn, play, make friends, enjoy and experience the world can feel difficult, even impossible. But we don’t believe there’s any challenge that can’t be overcome.

"We rely on the generosity of our supporters to fund our work and so we are so very grateful to Christine for taking on yet another challenge of her own and wish her a safe and successful trip."

To donate go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chrisbunting1.