AN injured rugby player who was told he might never walk again has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for charity.

Andrew Blyth, 35, suffered a near-fatal spinal injury playing for Sale against Saracens in 2000.

While he was in intensive care. his parents were told to prepare for the worst and it was 10 months before he could leave hospital.

But the former Newcastle Falcons and Tynedale centre defied the odds by walking again.

Mr Blyth, who was England World Cup-winning fly-half Jonny Wilkinson's teammate at Newcastle, climbed the peak as part of the AXA Mount Kilimanjaro Challenge.

He joined 38 others to raise cash for the Rugby Players Association (RPA) Benevolent Fund, the Rugby Football Union Injured Players Foundation and Help For Heroes.

He said he thought the training had helped his condition.

He said: "I've improved physically but it was tough as we dealt with the changing climates.

"Every time I thought about reaching the top, lumps came to my throat and I started to well up, so when I actually did get to the top I couldn't do anything apart from put my head in my hands and cry.

"In fact, I couldn't stop crying. There was a lot of shouting and hugging each other."

Mr Blyth, who is originally from Hexham, Northumberland, but now lives in Jesmond, Newcastle, offered to take part in the challenge at an RPA dinner.

The RPA supported him and his family after the injury.

He has just completed a degree in estate management at Northumbria University.