A BRAVE young boy is ready to set a new record by climbing Mount Olympus for Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team (WMRT).
At the beginning of September Frankie and his mother Basia McMillan will be climbing the Greek mountain to fundraise for WMRT.
Apart from climbing Greece's highest mountain, Frankie will also be breaking a record, as according to the Hellenic Mountain Guides Association, he will be the youngest Briton ever to climb to the famous 2,918m summit.
Ms McMillan said: "Usually, children his age aren’t allowed to climb Olympus, not to mention the highest of its summits, Mytikas, given its three days of trekking and technical climbs - around a kilometre of vertical ascents and descents with ropes and grade three scrambles."
"However, Frankie is granted special dispensation to climb it, given his proficiency in climbing lessons and his experience in our lovely Lakeland fells – both unusual for a boy his age."
Ms McMillan said his passion for mountain climbing started when he was 'very small.'
She said: "Frankie would ask me when he could come with me on one of my day mountain trips. And so one day, when he was just three years old, he and I set off to tackle Catbells.
"I didn't expect he would manage it but I figured we would have a great time together regardless of how far and how high he got.
"He plodded his way right to the top and was entirely unfazed by the scramble that must have been ten times his height."
Frankie has already bagged more than 260 mountains, including 180 Wainwrights.
He has also determined that one day he will climb Everest, the mountain he sees on his bedside wallpaper.
Frankie said: "It makes me feel really good when I climb the mountains."
Frankie said he is fundraising for WMRT so 'they can save more people and get more people on board.'
A spokesperson for WMRT said: "Basia and Frankie have taken on a great challenge, and we are amazed at how knowledgeable Frankie is with regard to climbing mountains and his achievements to date in the Lake District.
"Mount Olympus will be a big challenge and a tremendous achievement for Frankie, and we wish him well in his future mountaineering adventures."
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