A ROCK climber landed on his head after a 60ft fall – and survived.

Doctors told 18-year-old Peter Holder he should have died.

He lost consciousness and was flown from Causey Arch, near Stanley, County Durham, by air ambulance.

But Mr Holder, from Washington, Wearside, spent only three days in Newcastle General Hospital and was told to rest for several weeks.

Although the incident happened a fortnight ago, he is already planning to raise cash for the Great North Air Ambulance by taking part in a coast-tocoast ride on a unicycle.

Mr Holder said: “The first thing I knew was waking up in the helicopter on the way to hospital.

“The doctor spoke to me and said I should have died, but I don’t remember anything about the fall.”

Now Mr Holder and his friend, Paul Elliott, will mount their one-wheel cycles next month and pedal from Whitehaven to Sunderland.

They hope to complete the trip in three days, starting on July 20.

The pair began planning their charity ride last year to raise money for the 1st Herrington Scouts for a trip to Canada next year.

But since the accident, the friends have agreed to split the money they raise between the Scouts and the Great North Air Ambulance Service.

Mr Elliott, 20, said: “It’s a miracle Peter survived, but he’s just brushed it off as nothing. We’ve been doing a lot of training and we’re really confident that we’ll be able to complete the route.”

The pair will be joined by 30 Scouts on bicycles from the 1st Herrington group, where Peter is a leader.