A FORMER Woodford Green schoolgirl journeyed to the summit of one of the world's tallest mountains for charity.


Amelia Carleton, 19, suffered severe altitude sickness as she tackled the 19,340ft climb up Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise money for impoverished children in Africa.


The former Trinity Catholic High School pupil, who is now studying economics and philosophy at Leeds Univeristy, joined 26 other students from across the UK on the expedition.


She said: "I was quite ill with altitude sickness and the feeling of letting everyone down was the thing which pushed me to reach the top.

"It was great to meet all the children our money is helping. We saw the schools they had built and the money we raised will go towards providing food for the children."


Her father, Matthew Carleton, 60, said: "I am so very proud of her. We were so worried because the day she was due to reach the top O2's network crashed and none of our texts were getting through.


"It is just unbelievable, we just can't believe she did it after how ill she was."


Miss Carleton smashed her fund-raising target of £2,500, by more than £100.


Her next challenge is to hopefully climb to Everest base camp, which is the same height as Kilimanjaro.

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