Man carries tumble dryer up Scafell Pike for charity

Stephen Sinclair, 35, works in the oil and gas industry. He regularly competes in the Great North Run to raise money for the North East Autism Society (NEAS) but wanted to give himself an additional challenge this year. 

His son Frankie is autistic and non-verbal and he wants to do anything he can to raise money and awareness for the cause.

He had a tumble dryer that he was going to throw out - and this gave him the idea. He cut off the straps from an old hiking bag and attached them to the dryer. 

It took Stephen five and a half hours to complete the hike (Image: Submitted)

It took him five hours and 40 minutes to hike up and down 978-metre Scafell Pike with the machine, which is over two hours longer than he would normally take to tackle the fell. 

Stephen, from Ashington, near Newcastle, said: "It was a lot harder than I anticipated. The tumble dryer weighs between 30 and 40kg. However, the tumble dryer makes for a great hiking bag as my water and my sandwich went into the middle of the drum.

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"I saw a lot of shocked faces and I met some very friendly people along the way. People were reaching into their pockets to hand change over and I said thank you but you are going to weigh us down here."

Stephen is going to do the Great North Run with the tumble dryer (Image: Submitted)

Stephen asked people he met to donate to his Give Star. When he completed the hike: "I was totally destroyed. From just walking from the car park to the first gate I already had to take two breaks, it was an eye-opener. 

"I had to keep stopping every five to ten minutes."

Whatever he raises will be split between NEAS and Castle School in Ashington, which is where his son goes. 

Previously, Stephen completed the Great North Run, a half-marathon around Newcastle, barefoot and raised £1,500 for NEAS.