A SPECIAL needs teacher from Thornbury is planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro later this year in aid of charity.

Janet Constable, 45, is well into her training to get ready for her sponsored climb up the Tanzanian mountain in September.

"I am in training now, doing as much running and walking as I can do to get fit and minimise the risk of exhaustion. But as far as altitude sickness is concerned there is not much you can do, you either suffer from it or you don’t," said the New Siblands School teacher.

The trip will take seven days to complete - six days to climb the mountain and one day to come back down.

Mrs Constable and her 14 fellow trekkers will have to contend with extremes of climate, from tropical rain forest at the foot of the mountain to snow and freezing temperatures at the top, with everything from desert and moorland in between.

Mrs Constable is taking part in the mountain climb attempt to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society, because her mother suffers from the disease, which is a form of dementia.

Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, which means over time, more parts of the brain are damaged. As this happens, the symptoms become more severe and leave sufferers confused, experiencing mood swings, struggling to communicate and finding it more difficult to carry out everyday tasks.

The teacher will be paying for the trip herself so every penny she raises will go directly to the charity. She hopes to raise £2,500.

As well as raising money Mrs Constable also hopes to raise the profile of Alzheimer’s because she feels not enough is known about the disease and it is woefully underfunded, despite it being the most common cause of dementia, affecting 465,000 people in the UK.

Anyone who would like to contribute to Mrs Constable’s target can do so through the secure sponsorship site www.justgiving.com/janet-constable