A five-year-old boy has become one of the youngest people to climb Britain’s three highest mountains.
Jasper Dunsmore, from Norfolk, has completed The Three Peaks Challenge after summiting Ben Nevis on Saturday, having climbed Snowdon and Scafell Pike earlier in the year.
The youngster says he was “ecstatic but exhausted” after completing the climb in 16 hours.
He’s raised more than £5,000 for Prostate Cancer UK after his granddad was diagnosed with the disease last year.
Jasper and his father Peter, 30, from Norfolk, began the walk up the Scottish mountain at roughly 5am on Saturday.
The pair completed the Scafell Pike hike in the Lake District on March 31, with one of the standout moments being when Jasper was given a medal by a woman also climbing the mountain, which he spoke about during a show-and-tell at his school.
This was followed by a presentation on the highest mountains in Wales and Scotland, which initiated the “father-son adventure” of taking on the Three Peaks Challenge.
“That’s what really sparked his interest,” Mr Dunsmore told the PA news agency. “He came home saying: ‘Can we go and do Snowdon?’.
“It’s just a father-son adventure. I hope that’s a core memory that will continue to grow and develop.”
They then climbed Snowdon in Snowdonia, Wales on May 25, playing games and trying not to step on the cracks on the way.
Jasper’s grandfather – Peter Dunsmore, 62, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year – has been at the heart of the challenge.
Jasper’s grandfather had surgery to remove his prostate last year and recently received a second negative result for a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, indicating he is now cancer free.
“He’s alright,” Mr Dunsmore said. “He’s been the motivation to get this going.”
“I set the £500 target and put it out for friends and family and never anticipated it being shared as widely as it has done.
“I think naively I didn’t realise quite how much prostate cancer has affected so many people that I know just haven’t spoken about it.”
Other young children have completed the Three Peaks Challenge.
Seren Price, five, from Wales, became the youngest girl to achieve the feat in under 48 hours in 2023.
Lancashire five-year-old Jaxon Krzysik, who has cerebral palsy, climbed the peaks in 2019.
Lucas Lawrenson, six, from Merseyside, scaled all three mountains within 24 hours that year.
Jasper’s grandparents have been checking the fundraising page every day to see the progress and are “immensely proud of Jasper”, he added.
Seren Evans, head of events and community fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “This is a such a heartwarming story and we’re so proud of Jasper and Peter for taking on this epic challenge to raise funds and awareness for Prostate Cancer UK.
“Peter’s story illustrates just why more men need to be aware of the risk of prostate cancer. Men are at higher risk if they are over 50, black or have a father or brother who has had prostate cancer. Anyone with concerns should visit the charity’s online risk checker.”
Pascale Harvie, president and general manager of JustGiving, said: “Jasper is an absolute superstar.
“For someone so young Jasper has shown an incredible amount of determination and generosity towards helping people who, like his grandfather, have been affected by prostate cancer.”
Jasper’s fundraising page can be found here.
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