Fundraisers undertake climbing challenge in tribute to Matthew Hatton (From York Press)

Fundraisers undertake climbing challenge in tribute to Matthew Hatton

11:45am Monday 22nd March 2010 in

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A GROUP of fundraisers have put themselves through a climbing challenge in memory of a York war hero.

The climbing wall at the city’s Energise leisure centre doubled as one of the world’s most famous mountains as hundreds of pounds were raised for the Help For Heroes charity in a tribute to Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton, 23, of Haxby, who was killed in Afghanistan last August.

More than 40 participants from the Samson and Delilah gym in Haxby, where Matthew was a member, and York Climbers scaled the wall 590 times over seven hours to collectively equate to a single ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro, which the soldier’s family and friends are tackling in aid of Help For Heroes.

“It was absolutely brilliant – most of those taking part had never climbed before and were petrified, but they all made between ten and 20 ascents,” said Samson and Delilah’s co-owner Jo Holmes, who helped organise the event.