A climber who thought he was going to die after he fell 30ft in the Peak District while tackling one of the hardest routes in the area is now raising money for his rescuers.

Jim Pratt, who has been a climber for more than four years, was with members of Norwich Climbing Club on a regular trip to Derbyshire in September last year when he fell from the top of the climb and landed on his back. The Derby Mountain Rescue Team was alerted and an air ambulance was called to take the 32-year-old to the Royal Derby Hospital. Mr Pratt, who works as a roofer and lives in Carleton Rode, near Attleborough, had fractured a vertebra in his back and had to stay in hospital for four days.

He has since made a full recovery, although he still suffers from some back pain, and has returned to climbing and work.

Now, Mr Pratt has pledged to raise money for the rescue teams which came to his aid. 'It all happened in a blink of an eye and I realised I was on the floor,' he said. 'I was in a massive amount of pain.

'I started to go into shock. I started to think 'am I going to die?' and as I was getting into the helicopter, I told my friends to ring my girlfriend as I thought I was going to die.'

Now in a bid to raise much-needed funds for the Derby Mountain Rescue Team and the air ambulance, he has helped organise a charity climbing competition which will be held at Sportspark, Norwich, on January 29.

The event will see fund-raisers undertake a number of challenges including a speed climb, climbing in wellies and a blindfolded climb.

The evening is open to competent adult and junior climbers only.

Anyone interested in attending should email Dave Reeve at peakrock@btconnect.com. Children over the age of eight will be able to take part in the climbing challenges from 5pm to 7pm and they will be open to adults from 7pm to 10pm. Tickets for juniors cost �2.50 and for adults cost �5.

Above: Jim Pratt of Carleton Rode, back rock climbing again after falling 30ft while climbing in the Peak District. He is now raising money for the Derby Mountain Rescue Team who saved him. photo: denise bradley