Shropshire Star

May the fourth is with Whitchurch Star Wars fan Ashley as he scales England's highest peak

He has already walked to the tops of Snowdon and Ben Nevis while dressed as a Stormtrooper. Today Star Wars fan Ashley Broomhall from Shropshire added tackling England's tallest mountain to his list of achievements.

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The 28-year-old wore his Stormtrooper armour for the walk up 3,208ft Scafell Pike in the Lake District yesterday – on May the Fourth. Mr Broomhall, from Whitchurch, chose today's date as it is often linked to the Star Wars phrase "May the Force be with you."

He managed to do the climb in two hours and 15 minutes – a lot less than he expected.

He said: "It was a slog. It was incredibly windy and I was almost blown away. We planned for three hours but did it only two hours and 15 minutes which was good.

"It was a lot harder than Snowdon but Ben Nevis took a lot longer because it is a more difficult mountain.

"I am now going to have a rest and have a think about what to do next."

Ashley Broomhall

Mr Broomhall has been doing the walks to raise money for Cancer Research UK and Lingen Davies Cancer Relief Fund.

He set himself the peaks challenge after his mother, Janet, was diagnosed with cancer.

He said: "My mum is now a year in remission and everything has gone brilliantly after her treatments.

"Unfortunately my auntie, Sue Toms, has also been diagnosed with breast cancer and, unlike my mum who just needed radiotherapy after her operation to remove the cancer, she has had to go through chemotherapy to shrink the lump down before her operation."

Mr Broomhall has been a member of Star Wars costuming club the 501st UK Garrison for about six years.

Members attend events across the UK dressed in "movie-accurate" costumes to raise funds for charity.

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