A father-of-three who lost a leg to cancer is beginning his quest to climb a 19,000ft-high mountain in aid of fellow patients.

Plumber Andy Ward, 41, of Arran Grove, Banbury, has a prosthetic limb after losing a leg below the knee following complications with a rare form of testicular cancer three years ago.

Today, he was due to fly out to Africa where he will embark on the gruelling climb of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak. He will begin the climb on Monday.

He has already raised more than £4,000 which will go towards Oxford-based charity Urology Cancer Research and Education to treat other cancer patients.

Mr Ward said: “I’ve heard on the grapevine that one or two people have managed to climb Kilimanjaro with a prosthetic limb before, but it’s going to be difficult.

“I’m raring to go. I’ve been talking about it for a long time and, now I’ve got to walk the walk, I’m quite anxious and want to get started.”

The father of Amey, 15, Joseph, 12, and Ellie, nine, still works as a self-employed plumber and builder, and plumbers’ merchants Banbury Heating Supplies has agreed to pay his expenses for the challenge.

Mr Ward has spent recent months training hard including five-mile walks in the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire.

He added: “I’m taking medication because when I get the cramps in the stump I can’t walk. I must admit I prefer walking up the hill.

“When I’m walking downhill it is really painful on my stump because of all the downward pressure.

“But I know if I get to the top then I’ve got to come down.

“It’s going to be a case of just getting through it.

“I have snapped a prosthetic leg before so I will be taking a spare.”

Mr Ward is trekking alongside Gemma Crane, 29, a uro-oncology specialist nurse who provides support to patients with bladder, prostate, testicular or kidney cancer at Oxford’s Churchill Hospital.

The nurse, from Watlington, runs patient clinics and has also set up support groups for patients and their families.

They are hoping to reach the peak by Friday.

To sponsor Andy and Gemma, visit the websites at just-giving.com/andyward-kili or justgiving.com/gemmacrane mwilkinson@oxfordmail.co.uk