by Anna Edwards

anna.edwards@essnmedia.co.uk

From climbing a crane to climbing a mountain, friends Jon Barry and Tony John have always had heads for heights.

When the daring duo first met 20 years ago at a nightclub, their evening ended with them scaling a 60-foot crane in Croydon and being surrounded by police ordering them to come down.

Now they are taking on a challenge which they hope won't waste the time of the local emergency services – climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

The pair are taking on Africa's highest mountain in June to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society, because Jon's father, Mike, suffers from dementia.

Jon, 43, from Stuart Road, Warlingham, said: "My dad was such a dynamic, go-getting businessman and when I see him now he's more of a shell.

"He doesn't seem like my dad, I doubt if he recognises me.

"It's such a cruel disease, and we wanted to raise money to help people who suffer from it, and thought it would be a great challenge.

"We hope people will be generous, because it ravages people, it's a terrible illness."

The father-of-two says he and Tony are excited about the prospect of taking on the mountain, which is almost 20,000 feet high.

"We have been friends for years, although we will see how friendly we are after we have done the trek," Jon joked.

"They say don't get competitive, but it will be interesting to see who gets to the top first."

Jon, who owns drain inspection business Scanprobe Ltd, in Bushey Close, Kenley, and Tony, 51, an ex-paratrooper from Normanton Road, South Croydon, will spend seven days on the mountain.

Tony, who now works at Scanprobe with Jon, isn't too worried about the gruelling challenge that confronts them.

He said: "They say not to have a drink as it won't mix well with the altitude, but I think we will probably have a cheeky few – the hangovers will spur us on.

"Jon has said I should probably give up smoking, but I am going to have a fag on the top!

"It will be harder than when we climbed the crane all those years ago, and this time we won't have police on loudspeakers shouting at us to climb down.

"But I am not nervous about it, I am taking it in my stride.

"I just hope Jon knows I am not carrying his kit."

The pair, who have been mountain biking, running and swimming in preparation for their trip, hope to raise £10,000 and have so far been assured of around £2,300.

*To sponsor them, visit www.justgiving.com/JON-BARRY.