An ex service man suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is planning an expedition to reach base camp Mount Everest for charity.

Leigh Lawry, a former student of Callington Community College, joined the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment in October 1988, after working briefly at the local Spar shop in the town and at Ginsters.

Whilst in the army he served a few tours in Northern Ireland, went to Bosnia on active service and served in Iraq in 2006.

He left the army in 2011 with no problems, as he thought, but discovered eighteen months ago he was suffering with PTSD.

Lee said: ‘I wanted and needed something positive in my life, a clear goal of worth and satisfaction, as part of the recovery process.

‘To reach base camp was a long life aspiration and so set the wheels in motion, securing my place for October 2019.’

With plenty of training planned for his self-funded Everest Base Camp Challenge, Lee will be raising money for the National Autistic Society.

He has a niece suffering with Aspergers and has been involved with children and families dealing with autism and so also wants to raise awareness of the difficulties people with autism face.

Anyone wishing to sponsor Lee should visit: justgiving.com/teams/LeighLawryEverest