A woman who suffered 'horrendous' head injuries after falling 200ft from a Scottish peak is to tackle a sponsored mountain challenge to re-pay her rescuers.

Lynn Hanson, 40, will join her husband Mark and a team of around 40 firefighters and friends to attempt ascents on the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales.

The couple, from Gomersal, were walking near Ben Nevis during a walking holiday in the New Year when she fell onto rocks.

Members of the Lochaber Mountain Rescue service carried Lynn on a sled in thick mist before she was taken for surgery at a Glasgow hospital.

She said: "I'm still off work and I get tired but I'm determined to get fit and climb all three mountains.

"I can remember everything about the fall except hitting my head. The mountain rescue is voluntary. They saved my life so this is the least I can do."

Mark, 40, a firefighter at Dewsbury Fire Station, is organising the ascents of Ben Nevis, Scafell and Snowdon - all within 24 hours - for July.

He said: "We were near the top of a climb when a piece of snow fell from beneath Lynn and she just went.

"I saw the whole thing, she dropped 30ft head-first onto a rock then carried on tumbling.

"I deal with a lot of distressing things in my job but this was by far the worst, her injuries were horrendous.

"I was with her for three hours before help came, she was conscious throughout.

"The mountain rescue costs around £60,000 to run each year - I'm hoping we'll raise some of that as our way of saying thank you."

Lynn, a clerical worker for BT in Leeds, spent around ten days in hospital and underwent a three-and-a-half hour operation to rebuild her skull.

Her hearing has been damaged but the couple, whose first passion is walking and climbing, are planning a holiday to the French Alps this September.

Mark said: "The support I've had from my colleagues has been excellent, most of my watch is taking part in the three peaks challenge.

"I'm approaching businesses to find mini-buses to carry people between the mountains and I'm looking for money to cover fuel costs. Anything extra we'll give to the mountain rescue."

Anyone who can help is asked to contact Mark at Dewsbury Fire Station on (01924) 465601.

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