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'Climbing is an addiction': Heroic amputee who lost his legs as a teenager celebrates climbing over 100 mountains

Brave Norman Croucher, 72, has scaled some of the world's most brutal peaks - after losing his legs when he fell into the path of oncoming train at 19

Hero: Norman has scaled more than 100 peaks since having his legs amputated. (SWNS)

Heroic amputee pensioner Norman Croucher is used to scaling the heights - having climbed more than 100 mountains despite losing both legs as a teenager.

The brave retired social worker has scaled some of the world's most brutal peaks, after having both his legs amputated at the age of 19.

Norman, 72, has spent his life climbing mountains and has been awarded an OBE after conquering the Alps and the Himalayas.

He's scaled more than 100 ascents of 2,500-metre-plus peaks, including one 8,000m giant, in the past 53 years.

He is even vowing to carry on with his hobby despite recently been diagnosed with cancer.

Norman - who lost his legs after falling into the path of an oncoming train - is now preparing himself for another expedition to the Alps in a bid to raise funds for charity.

He said: 'Climbing is an addiction. I say, life's like a muscle and if you don't stretch it, it'll waste away and climbing for me is like stretching the muscle of life.

'It gives me something to aim for. I'm going to be less active for a while, but I'll be okay for the trip next year.'

Mr Croucher took up rock climbing before having his legs amputated but decided not to let losing his legs slow him down.

He started climbing trees during his rehabilitation stint and 'almost as soon' as he got his prosthetics he was scaling the cliffs near his home.

The pensioner has now climbed mountains around the world including the Matterhorn, the Eiger and Mont Blanc in the Alps and the White Needle in the Kashmiri Himalayas.

He can also add Muztagh Ata in China and the sixth highest mountain in the world, Cho Oyo in Tibet, to his impressive list of conquests.


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Mr Croucher, from Exeter, said that not having any legs wasn't always a disadvantage and in some ways he felt it had helped him when climbing.

He said: 'Because there's less of me and I have a shorter blood circuit, I oxygenate better.

'So I may be slower on the lower mountain but then among the first party at the top.

'And because there's less body surface to lose heat from, I keep warmer as well so often I'm more comfortable that the others.

'And there are advantages on long distance flights too - I can take my legs off and stretch out over two seats and have quite a good sleep.'

Norman also earned himself an OBE thanks to his work promoting adventurous sports for disabled people.

He fought against those who held the view that only mainstream competitive sports were suitable for disabled people.

He went on to prove that sailing, tobogganing and zip wiring were all still accessible for those with disabilities.

Mr Croucher is set to embark on a fresh adventure in June, along with two friends - despite having bowel cancer.

The trio will take on two or three 3,500m peaks around Chamonix in the French Alps to raise funds for Exeter Hospiscare.

Norman was also the first person fitted with artificial limbs to walk the 900 miles from John O'Groats to Lands End in 1969.