Paula scales her personal mountain

MOUNTAIN of a challenge (from left) Shaun Craffey, Paula Ashton, Wendy Krastins and Peter Ashton climbed Mount Snowdon together

A BRAVE Oldham woman has overcome an horrific car crash to achieve her dream and climb Mount Snowdon.

Paula Ashton (43) suffered life-threatening injuries including a fractured skull, shoulder and eye-socket, extensive rib damage and her pelvis broken in three places in the crash in January, 2010.

After painfully learning to walk again, Paula set her heart on doing something amazing and raising money for charity.

Paula, a finance administrator, said: “I was in the hospital talking to my family and I said, as a joke, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be climbing mountains soon.’”

Just over three years later, her comment became reality as she set off to climb Snowdon, reaching a height of 3,560ft, with her husband Peter and three friends.

The Heron Street resident said: “It was really hard work — there were times when I had a few stumbles thinking I couldn’t make it, but I did. It was amazing to reach the top. I’m hoping to be able to do it again soon — though I haven’t been able to walk much since we got home!”

So far Paula’s climb, which took six hours, has raised around £400 for Dr Kershaw’s Hospice. She is hoping her story will encourage others to chip in..

“I wanted to raise money for Dr Kershaw’s as we know a lot of people who have been helped by them. It is a really great cause.”