Paolo is ready to scale the heights of Kilimanjaro

Paolo Bissolati is looking forward to the biggest and toughest challenge of his life as he and his co-adventurer Ricky Richardson are ready to trek up, and back down, Mount Kilimanjaro.

Paolo, proprietor at The Old Bill restaurant in Oldham town centre for the past nine years, jets off to Tanzania on June 6, with the aim of conquering one of the toughest peaks around, and it'll all be in aid of Cancer Research.

It's a challenge nothing like he's attempted before, but Paolo has prepared well and is certainly up for it.

His co-adventurer Ricky is a senior instructor at the Calder Thai Boxing Academy in Halifax.

He will be doing the climb for Ian Richardson - his dad - who was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer last year.

A number of Paolo's contacts and colleagues have struggled with cancer, while his close friend Alec Cross sadly passed away last year after being diagnosed with a malignant tumour.

This trek is being sponsored by the Ultra white collar boxing charity, while the specialist equipment has been kindly donated by Elaine Wrigley at Cotswold Outdoors on Deansgate in Manchester.

They will supply the travelling party with a company flag to place at the summit - should they get that far!

Paolo (pictured above outside The Old Bill) said: "I've wanted to do something like this for two or three years now - it's about giving something back for charity.

"My best friend Ricky just came into the restaurant to tell me he was attempting Kilimanjaro, and I just said 'do you mind if I come?'

"That was it really. He asked permission, and I was on board with 12 lads from Ultra white collar boxing.

"I've never done anything as extreme as this before. The peak is around 19,000 feet and it'll take us six days to scale it and come back down the other side.

"It's not a silly extreme though, it's do-able, certainly given our age group and fitness levels.

"There's a doctor in the group, too, and everyone is well versed so we're all really looking forward to it.

"The closer it gets the more apprehensive I am about it, but everyone seems to think I'll do it easily."

Paolo has been hard in training by trekking up and down the hills of Huddersfield and Halifax with a 30kg back pack.

He has already smashed his fund-raising target.

After initially pledging to raise £4,000 for Cancer Research, his total already runs at £4,500.

However, you can still donate to a very worthy cause by logging on to: https://www.justgiving.com/Paolo-bissolati1?utm_source=sms