A BUILDER who has suffered from type 1 diabetes since he was 15 years old has told how motivational notes written by his four kids spurred him on as he struggled towards the summit of a 20,000ft Himalayan peak.

Deri Brown was part of a nine-man team who tackled Stok Kangri in the Indian Himalayas earlier this month - and in doing so he raised almost £4,500 for Diabetes UK Research.

And the 39-year-old revealed how the scribblings of his children back home in Ceredigion kept him going on the final ascent after several of his fellow climbers had opted to turn back.

On reaching the summit an exhausted Deri still managed to unfurl the Red Dragon bearing the names of Carwyn, Jack, Charley and Cadi.

He told the Cambrian News that the climb was “the hardest thing I’ve ever done”.

“It was a fantastic experience to go and attempt this challenge, but I am glad to be home all the same,” Deri of Brynhoffnant admitted.

“It was not easy spending 10 days on a mountain living in tents without any contact with the outside world - or my family, in particular.

“The most difficult bit was going from base camp for the summit. We started at 12.30am and the temperature was minus-10 as we headed towards a glacier that we needed to cross to reach the shoulder of Stok Kangri.

“By the time we reached the glacier, three of our group had by then had to return to base camp.

See the full story in this week’s south edition