Raising funds to help educate poor children saw a town businesswoman climb an extinct African volcano.

Over the course of six days, Debbie Cameron scaled the 14,000ft Mount Elgon on the Ugandan/Kenyan border, battling extreme weather conditions along the way.

The Springfield Road resident raised £5,300 for the charity Fields of Life which will be used to develop infrastructure in Uganda – creating water wells for communities and building schools.

Ms Cameron, who is manager of the Kent branch of the Institute of Directors, says the gruelling journey involved camping out on the mountain side with no creature comforts.

She said: “We set off as a team of 10 with the simple objective to raise as much money as possible for our cause.

“I don’t think any of us expected the trek to be as tough as we faced, after six hours of climbing in the midday heat on the first day we reached the ‘wall of death’ – and I really wish we had been using ropes.

“There’s no health and safety in that remote part of Africa.

“Over the next few days we had to do battle with giant ants, sleepless nights and incredibly steep terrain; each day trekking for between six and nine hours.

“We faced a myriad of weather conditions: rain, mist, cloud cover, hail stones to freezing temperatures and then as we descended the hot African sun returned.

“I was struck with mountain sickness at around 12,000ft, which made every step that little bit harder.

“But the sense of achievement upon reaching the summit made it all worthwhile.”

Kent Science Park, where the 39-year-old is based, donated £250 for her to fly its banner at the top.

Site director James Speck, said: “What Debbie has done is truly outstanding – both in terms of the incredibly physically demanding climb she has completed and the sum of money she has raised.”