AN intrepid school teacher overcame blistering daytime heat, freezing nights and severe altitude sickness to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro for dementia research.

Laura Corrick, 31, formerly of Chard, raised over £3,000 for Alzheimer’s research charity BRACE by climbing Africa’s highest peak.

She completed the challenge with boyfriend Jon Lombard and said it was the hardest thing she has ever done.

She said: “The altitude was what made it really, really hard.

“At 5,985m above sea level the mountain’s really quite high.

“Most days we were walking at 3,500-4,500 metres in 35°C heat, which is quite high altitude, and both Jon and I were affected.

“On summit night, when we started climbing at midnight Jon had a severe headache and nausea, while I was affected by lack of oxygen.

“We looked like an old couple as we struggled through the last few hours of the climb.

“Imagine the Shard in London, five times as high and covered in sand, and you had to walk up the side of it at midnight, feeling sick, not being able to breathe properly, having a pounding headache and coping with temperatures of -15°C.”

Laura, whose dad was diagnosed with early onset dementia in 2011, set up the Remembering Not to Forget charity with her friend Ali Turnbull to raise money for people affected by dementia.

After setting up the charity, the thrill-seeking women, who met in London playing hockey, set themselves the task of raising £10,000 in ten months by taking part in ten challenges.

The Kilimanjaro climb was the penultimate challenge and helped them reach their total.

Despite the extreme nature of the climb, Laura said she had an incredible time.

She said: “My favourite part was scrambling 300m up a sheer rock face at Baranco Wall, which was great fun!

“When it was tough it helped to remember that we were doing this for such a worthwhile cause – BRACE and the other dementia charities we support.”

You can donate here.