A Scot has become the first deaf and blind person in the UK to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro.

Stephen Joyce, from Larbert, near Falkirk, defied all odds to reach the 5895m summit of Africa's tallest mountain. The 34-year-old, who has been deaf since birth and is losing his sight to a genetic condition called Usher's syndrome, trekked for four days in blistering heat and freezing cold to fulfil his ambition.

Stephen managed to complete the gruelling challenge of a lifetime with the help of two guides, who made sure he took the right path and stayed back from treacherous drops.

But he was determined to walk the last 700m to the summit with as little help as possible from his guide and interpreter. Mr Joyce said: "I have wanted to conquer Kilimanjaro for a long time. It was just fabulous up there. It was very emotional for me.

"We celebrated with some whisky and had a wee dram at the top. It was amazing.

"I want to show other deaf-blind people that they don't have to sit in the house and do nothing. You can achieve anything and, although I am deaf and blind, I have climbed Kilimanjaro."

Mr Joyce, a training manager for Deafblind Scotland, decided to take up the challenge with his sign language interpreter Jim Lee and his guide Jim Harley around three years ago.

They left for the expedition in Tanzania on March 16 in a bid to raise awareness of deaf-blind peoples' achievements and to raise money for charity.

He has already completed four marathons so he is certainly no stranger to feats of endurance. Now Mr Joyce is gearing up for Deafblind Scotland's 10k walk at Strathclyde Country Park on April 20 where participants will be blindfolded and given ear defenders and guided for the whole length of the walk.