Glasgow Evening Times editor Charles McGhee has scaled new heights by reaching the summit of Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, for charity.

Months of dedicated and enthusiastic training paid off for Charles (pictured) and his two co-climbers - hospital consultant Rajan Madhok and retired businessman Willie Phillips.

They took on the challenge to raise funds for the Darlinda Charity for Renal Research at Glasgow's Western Infirmary.

The trek took six days – four-and-a-half days to get to the top and a day and a half to descend.

The trio climbed Mt Kilimanjaro via the Rongai Route, one of the lesser-used and more challenging ways to the top.

Family, friends and charity members back home waited patiently for details of the intrepid trio's progress and news that they had all succeeded in reaching the top came in a 30-second call home from the 20,000ft summit, before Charles lost his mobile signal.

Charles, who like other members of his team battled the effects of altitude sickness to scale the peak, said the once-in-a-lifetime experience was "awesome".

They expect to raise more than £6,000 for the charity but Charles has so far ruled out any more mountaineering expeditions.

The exhausted editor said: "It was a tremendous experience, but I think I'll be doing all my charity fund-raising challenges from the relative comfort of sea-level from now on."