TWO Chandler's Ford Scout leaders have their sights set on climbing to the roof of Africa in a bid to scale the heights for The Anthony Nolan Trust.

Forty-nine-year-old Kevin Lees-Powell, of Brownhill Road, and his colleague Ian Parkes, of Pine Road, fly out on Friday to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania - and both are confident that they can move mountains.

The men who help to run the Iroquois Explorers Scout Unit have already raised £3,150 each in sponsorship to join 14 other hikers also climbing to raise funds for the trust which gives hope to leukaemia sufferers whose only chance of survival is a bone marrow transplant.

They hope to raise even more sponsorship cash and will also be taking much-needed gifts of jigsaws, pens, pencils and crayons for The Kilimanjaro Village Education Project.

The intrepid Chandler's Ford duo expect to take five days to complete the ascent and descent of the snow-capped mountain which, at 19,340ft, is one of the "Big Seven" highest peaks in the world.

It is not a technical climb - more a very strenuous mountain walk which Kevin sees as the "ultimate challenge" for hill walking enthusiasts such as himself.

He said: "It was Ian that roped me into this but I didn't need too much persuasion. I started climbing mountains at the age of 13 with the 1st Fair Oak Scout Group.

"I'm looking forward to it with nervous anticipation. I feel physically fit and enthusiastic about it. But it is the unknown element - climbing in the tropical forest and then ultimately the possible effects of altitude and the rarefied atmosphere."

Kevin, who works as a building surveyor for Signpost Housing Associ-ation in Blandford, said he and Ian had been training hard for their mountain expedition. Last year they took part in a 50K, 18-hour endurance hike along the Solent Way.

Ian, who is general manager of Manor Bakeries at Eastleigh, said he had been on The Anthony Nolan Trust register for 20 years and had read that the organisation was looking for people to go on the Kilimanjaro trip.

He said: "In October I had my 40th birthday and this is an element of trying to prove I'm young enough.

"My father passed away in 1999 from cancer, so this trip all fitted very nicely. It was something exciting, something to mark my 40th and a good cause.

"I have only ever been up to 10,000ft before and I was looking for one of the big mountains of the world. Kilimanjaro is the highest point in the African continent and you go from something like 35 degrees to something like minus 20."

Anyone wishing to add to Ian and Kevin's charity collection should contact 023 8025 5685.