Coronavirus: Paralysed Ed Jackson reaches Everest staircase feat Published duration 24 April Related Topics Coronavirus pandemic

image copyright Wings for Life image caption To simulate the ascent of Everest's 8,848m peak, Ed Jackson climbed 89,056 steps

A paralysed ex-rugby player has climbed the equivalent height of Mount Everest on his parents' staircase.

Ed Jackson, from Bath, broke his neck after diving into the shallow end of a swimming pool in 2017, leaving him with no or partial use of all four limbs.

Since starting on Tuesday at 04:00 BST, Mr Jackson, 31, has made 89,056 steps and 2,783 trips up and down the stairs.

He has so far raised £36,000 for charity Wings For Life, which conducts spinal cord research, and also the NHS.

Mr Jackson said it had been a "weird four days" for him to climb the equivalent of Everest's 8,848m peak and thanked his parents and his wife "for putting up with me".

He started his final day's effort at 04:00 BST, with a head torch illuminating the darkness of the corridor.

image copyright Ed Jackson image caption Ed Jackson also played for London Wasps in 2014

Mr Jackson began his professional rugby career with Bath and had spells at Doncaster Knights, London Welsh and Wasps before joining Welsh region Dragons, where his career was cut short in April 2017.

He said he had taken on the challenge "to climb Everest" because it was a "tough time" for charities at the moment and he wanted to "do my bit to support some causes close to my heart".

He chose to raise money for charity Wings For Life, which conducts spinal cord research, and also the NHS.

image copyright Wings for Life image caption Ed Jackson started the challenge on Tuesday at 04:00 BST and finished on Friday at 16:30

He said: "I have always dreamed of being able to scale the height of Mount Everest, I just didn't think that I would be doing it next to my parents' bedroom."