A WINSFORD dad has vowed to conquer Mount Kenya in memory of a courageous teenager who lost his battle with cancer.

Dad-of-three Dave Fowles has teamed up with his friend Alison Green, whose stepson Josh Halsey died recently, and five other climbers to help support other sick children.

"Just over a month ago friends of mine lost their 16-year-old superstar Josh to an aggressive form of soft tissue cancer, " said Dave, 47, who runs Fowles Funeral Services in Winsford.

"Josh had faced his cancer with an attitude and bravery well beyond his years."

The team is raising funds for two charities close to Josh, Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) and Starlight Children's Foundation.

"Throughout Josh's journey he was supported by TCT, an incredible charity that funds specialist nurses and cancer units," said Dave.

"Starlight Foundation provide distraction boxes for children while they are in hospital, days out with their families or trips away so they can make lasting memories."

Northwich Guardian:

Dave Fowles is determined to conquer Mount Kenya in memory of courageous teenager Josh Halsey

Dave says the 17,057ft tortuous trek up Kenya's highest mountain will be tough.

"But it won't be anything compared to what Josh and other young people go through every day," he said. "Josh's strength and bravery will inspire us to keep going.

"Josh genuinely made everyone he met smile and be happy. We want to raise as much as we can in his memory to help support other children and teenagers going through cancer or facing a terminal illness

Fitness enthusiast Dave has already raised more than £40,000 for different charities.

In 2009 he climbed Machu Picchu for CLIC Sargent and scaled Mount Kilimanjaro in 2015 for St Luke's Hospice.

Last year, he travelled to Russia to tackle Mount Elbrus, Europe's highest mountain for St Luke's and St John's Primary School, but he failed to reach the summit.

"Elbrus beat me and annoyed me greatly," said Dave. "Mountains are strange things, you have to respect them. I made it to the high base camp. Coming down in one piece I felt very ecstatic. There was a sense of achievement."

In 2008 the intrepid explorer applied to take part in Extreme Dreams with presenter Ben Fogle, a reality BBC2 programme which gave people the chance to conquer the world's most extreme environments.

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After a rigorous selection course in the Brecon Beacons, Dave made it to the final two to climb the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda.

"There was just me and this girl left in front of four judges," said Dave. "It was like the X Factor, my heart rate went through the roof but I wasn't chosen because they said I could go and do adventures on my own and that's exactly what I've done."

The team set off on September 22 to trek up Mount Kenya and call themselves The Summit Seekers.

"Our motto is 'Too inspired to be tired'," said Dave. "We will be with professional trekkers who worked with the film crew of the movie Everest. I have 100 per cent faith in them.

"If you feel supported you are in safe hands and it takes a lot of the worries away."

Dave is also raising funds for St John's Church, where his children James, nine, Tom are pupils and his daughter Charlotte, two, attends the pre school.

To donate visit justgiving.com/companyteams/MtKenyajosh.

To follow the team's expedition visit facebook.com/thesummitseekerstooinspiredtobetired