A North Yorkshire man with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) has completed a gruelling seven peaks challenge.

Ian Flatt, 58, from Green Hammerton, was diagnosed with MND in 2019. On June 15 this year, he embarked on a challenge to climb seven peaks across England, Scotland and Wales.

Ian and his team began with the Yorkshire mountains Whernside and Wild Boar Fell, before climbing Snowdon and Pen-y-Fan in Wales, Ben Chonzie in Scotland, Skiddaw in the Lake District and finishing on Roseberry Topping in North Yorkshire.

Following the passing of Rugby League legend Rob Burrow, who was also diagnosed with MND in 2019, Ian and his team wanted to continue their fundraising efforts to support the Rob Burrow MND Centre.

Ian, 58, climbed seven peaks in 22 days (Image: Ian Flatt)

"Over the last three years I’ve worked with Leeds Hospital charity on the Rob Burrow MND Centre," said Ian.

"Rob and I shared the same medical team, we had a lot of things in common.

"Obviously Rob is synonymous with the number seven, so we did seven mountains to finish on the 7th of the 7th."

Ahead of the challenge, members of Ian's team climbed some of the mountains to assess whether Ian could negotiate the climbs.

However, Ian didn't want the challenge to be too easy.

Ian Flatt was diagnosed with MND in 2019 (Image: Ian Flatt)

"Anywhere that's accessible we're not interested in doing," he said.

"That's not a challenge."

During his climb of Roseberry Topping in North Yorkshire, Ian's team of fellow climbers grew to 92.

He said: "Around 50 of those people I'd never met before.

"That’s been the beauty of this, people with their own MND journeys and stories coming together.

"We don’t mind if you want to raise money for other charities like Cancer Research or Great Ormond Street, do whatever’s important to you - just come and join us."

Ian's support group grew as large as 92 people (Image: Ian Flatt)

The challenge, however, wouldn't have been possible without Ian's consistent supporting group.

"They turn up and they make it happen, without Rachel my wife and our two girls and the core team, none of this would happen," Ian said.

For Ian, MND means that his body faces a far greater battle than most during such a challenge.

He added: "The one thing with motor neurone disease is when you overuse your muscles they can’t repair themselves.

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"My biggest enemy is the cold, it was zero degrees with a minus six degree wind chill, and during those temperatures my joints seize up.

"There’s this thing with MND, the more you use it the quicker you lose it."

Despite this, Ian said: "In my head, the alternative is to sit and do nothing but I can’t do that."

The challenge drew to a close on Sunday, July 7. Ian's fundraiser for Leeds Hospitals Charity titled "7 Mountains" on website Give as you Live has so far raised more than £23,000. However, the team hopes to reach £77,777.

The money is being raised for the soon to be built Rob Burrow MND Centre, a project described by Ian as "beautiful".