AN INJURED soldier who was told he would never walk again is now attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

Later this month, Lance Corporal Jonathon Le Galloudec, of Evans Close, Eynsham, is joining four fellow fundraisers to conquer the 5,896m mountain.

L Cpl Le Galloudec, known as Frenchie, was shot in the spine by an insurgent sniper in Iraq two years ago.

He was serving with the 2nd Battalion The Royal Green Jackets, which is now known as the 4th Battalion The Rifles, based in Tidworth.

While being treated in intensive care at Selly Oak Hospital, in Birmingham, the 28-year-old was told he would never walk again.

L Cpl Le Galloudec said: “After they said I would never walk I was desperate to prove them wrong.”

Amazingly, the soldier managed to walk out of the hospital three months later and, although he still has problems with feeling in his legs, he has been training hard for the challenge by trekking in the mountains of Snowdonia.

He will be part of a team known as the Band of Five, which is made up of soldiers who have been injured while on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

L Cpl Le Galloudec said: “I have personal experience which I can share with them and let them know that being injured isn’t the end of the world, although the road to recovery can be long and frustrating.”

The group hopes to raise £100,000 for Help For Heroes.

L Cpl Le Galloudec is currently serving with the 4th Battalion The Rifles, in the Welfare Office in Tidworth, where he works with other soldiers who have been injured during the battalion’s current tour of Afghanistan.

His parents, Steve and Sarah-Jean Le Galloudec, who also live in Eynsham, have helped their son by accompanying him on practice walks.

Mr Le Galloudec, a retired RAF flight lieutenant, said: “We’re incredibly proud of what he has achieved in his recovery, and we’re all going to be willing him to the summit when he makes his attempt at climbing Kilimanjaro.”

To sponsor L Cpl Le Galloudec and his team, visit the website justgiving.com/thebandoffive