Karl Hinett's Everest mission hit by stomach bug

A former soldier badly burned in a Iraq bomb blast has been battling on with a trek to Mount Everest - despite three members of his group being stuck by a stomach bug.

Karl Hinett, of Tipton, is tackling one of the biggest challenges in his life with a group of injured soldiers.

But three of the Walking with the Wounded Team are recovering after suffering stomach bugs on Saturday.

Expedition leader Martin Hewitt, Capt Francis Atkinson, both aged 31, and Capt David Wiseman, aged 29, were all suffering from suspected food poisoning after leaving Kathmandu.

The energy sapping illness threatened to slow their progress. But yesterday the group made light work of the 4.3 mile trek, much of which was an uphill climb.

The 25-year-old former private in the Staffordshire Regiment said: "I'm feeling pretty strong.

"By no means have I been pushing myself, I've been trying to take it as easy as I can because I'm sure there are going to be some times on the trip when we just can't take it easy."

He sustained 37 per cent burns to his hands, legs, arms and face after his Warrior tank was hit by a petrol bomb in Basra in 2005.

The group will be trekking for 10 days to reach Everest Base Camp before their attempt to reach the 29,000ft peak in May

He said: "You just couldn't go straight up and climb Everest in a day. It's just not possible.

"Altitude, the lack of oxygen in the air, your brain swells, you can get moisture and water in the lungs.

"It can do nasty things to you if you rush. That's why it's probably one of the few sports, high altitude mountaineering, where the slower you go, the better off you are."

The final member of the team is 25-year-old Pte Jaco van Gass.

The team set off from Monjo yesterday morning and entered the Sagarmartha National Park shortly afterwards.