Grieving Cannock husband's Mount Kilimanjaro climb for Lorna

These are the words of a grieving husband who is to climb one of the world's tallest mountains in memory of his late wife.

Kevin Chandler, who lives in Cannock, will take on 19,341ft Mount Kilimanjaro to raise cash for the Motor Neurone Disease Association following the death of his wife Lorna.

Lorna lost her battle with the disease in May last year at the age of 67 - three days before her birthday. The rapidly progressive condition affects the brain and spinal chord and can attack the nerves that control movement in the body. It affects up to 5,000 adults in the UK at any one time.

Kevin, aged 58, will take on the challenge from September 24 and will return to his Pye Green Road home in early October.

He hopes to raise more than £1,000 for the charity, which helped his family while Lorna was suffering from the condition.

"I am really looking forward to the challenge," he said.

"It's not going to be easy but it is something I have got to do.

"I've been watching several YouTube videos to motivate me. It will be a great achievement to get to the top.

"I have placed an initial figure of £1,000 as a target fundraising goal, but I would much like to go far beyond this figure with people's help."

Kevin is also a member of the Motor Neurone Disease Association Stafford Group and regularly attends meetings each week.

And he said there is not a minute that goes by when he is not missing Lorna.

"Lorna never once complained about her illness or the pain she was in and I was holding her hand when she peacefully departed," he said.

"That day I lost a wife, soul-mate and friend and a piece of me also died that day.

"Lorna had lived life to the full before her illness, had been part of a large family - one of eight children - moving from her birthplace in County Durham down to Cannock when she was young.

"We were lucky that we travelled extensively during our time together visiting many places, as I wanted Lorna to see as much of the world as we could before we were unable to do so."

To donate or for more information about Kevin's challenge visit www.justgiving.com/lornachandlertributefund