EPIC adventurer and deputy head teacher Steve Hill is in training for one of his biggest challenges yet – a climb to the summit of the highest mountain in North Africa.

After raising £80,000 for a large number of charities, Steve, deputy at St Joseph’s RC Primary School in Shaw, has set his sights on reaching the peak of Mount Toubkal in Morocco in February.

Backed by his Year 6 pupils, he will be raising cash for Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Milly’s Smiles, Chernobyl Children’s Life Line and the St Joseph’s parent teacher association.

Steve said: “I’m in training at present and getting myself in the best possible shape to enable me to complete this challenge and raise as much money as possible for these great charities.

“Friends, family, colleagues and parents from school have again been fantastic all offering to sponsor me whilst my brilliant and enthusiastic Year 6 class along with the other children are currently organizing a variety of exciting fundraising events throughout the coming weeks and months.”

So far, the following fundraising activities are planned: A charity car wash, cake sales, a sponsored fancy dress run, coffee mornings and a sponsored walk.

Past challenges have seen Steve climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Mont Blanc, trek through the Sahara Desert, climbing Mount Elbrus, trek through the Arctic and through the jungles of Borneo, climb Mount Kinabalu, trek to Mount Everest Base Camp and then complete the Tenzing Hillary Mount Everest Marathon. He's also completed the North Pole Marathon, the Petra Desert Marathon, the Uganda Marathon, the Amazon Jungle Ultra Marathon and the Arctic Ice Ultra Marathon.

His has set up a Justgiving page for his latest exploits. It can be found at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Steve-Hill07