A recovering alcoholic who was once unable to even get up to walk his dog without a drink will climb the three highest mountains in the UK to mark three years sober.

Andrew Smith, who grew up in Wethersfield’s High Street, battled an alcohol addiction for years and decided to cut out drinking for good when doctors gave him just 16 months to live.

That was more than two years ago and to mark his success, the former St Margaret’s Primary School in Gosfield pupil will embark on the Three Peaks Challenge in November, tackling Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Mount Snowdon in Wales.

Mr Smith slipped into depression and alcohol dependency years ago after he admitted he had always liked a drink since he was a teenager.

See the Braintree and Witham Times for the full story.