A MAN from Jacobstowe is climbing the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales in honour of his best friend who was tragically killed in a car crash in the summer.

Builder Paul Locke set himself the challenge of climbing the three highest peaks of England, Wales and Scotland in memory of Marcus Cobb.

He braved snow and ice to reach the 1,345-metre summit of Ben Nevis in the Highlands on December 4, and intends to scale Scafell Pike in the Lake District and Snowdon in Wales before heading home to Devon for Christmas.

Paul, 34, said Marcus, who died in a car accident near Hatherleigh in July aged just 32, was ‘100 per cent’ with him in spirit as he scaled Ben Nevis.

‘He was my best friend,’ said Paul. ‘We grew up in the same village and had known each other since birth.

‘I was working with him until I decided to go travelling – I was converting my van when the accident happened. Afterwards, I didn’t know what to do, then I decided to go anyway.

’People say life is too short and you don’t really listen until something like this jumps up and smashes you in the mouth. I needed some time out to myself, just to clear my head and take on board what had happened.’

He set off on his trip in September, visiting the west coast of Ireland, Wales and Scotland and the Lake District, rounding off his trip by climbing the three peaks, the highest in Scotland, England and Wales respectively.

The challenge is raising funds for mental health charity Mind, which Paul chose as he suffered a serious mental health crisis a few years ago.

He said the challenge had given him something to focus on when he started to feel low again earlier this year.

‘I had a really bad spell of depression and anxiety a few years back,’ he said. ‘Everyone knows how bad I was. I didn’t leave the house for ten months and I had a lot of support from the mental health crisis team in Devon to try and pick me up and put me back on the right path.

‘I wanted to give something back to help other people who are suffering similar problems, particularly with Christmas coming up, as it can be a lonely time and a hard time for people with mental health problems.’

He has already raised £635 for Mind through the Just Giving website with more pledged by friends back home and made on his travels.

Donations are also being invited at collection points in the Okehampton area: The George Hotel in Hatherleigh, The Red Lion pub and The Burrow community shop in Exbourne, The White Hart in North Tawton, The Kings Arms in Winkleigh and Mole Avon in Okehampton.

Marcus, who worked as a panel beater and sprayer, was helping Paul to convert his van into a motorhome for his trip shortly before he died.

‘He was 100 per cent with me in spirit on the trip,’ said Paul. ‘I was nearly at the point of giving up on Ben Nevis, because I couldn’t feel my legs or fingers and my clothes were frozen to me, so I had to dig deep and find something inside me so I could go on.

‘When I got to the top I lay in the snow and did a snow angel, and signed his name beside it. It seemed the right thing to do, because he was an angel on my shoulder really.’