MADCAP fundraiser Tom Bottomley has done it again!
While most of us were tucking into our Christmas dinner before flopping down in front of the television the former Huddersfield man was enjoying a much different kind of culinary experience.
Tom was perched on Africa's highest mountain, Kilimanjaro - which is 19,340ft high - with five friends, in formal dinner attire, enjoying a four-course meal.
They tucked into a spread which included a foie gras marmalade, turkey, Christmas cake and Stilton cheese.
And it was eaten at a table complete with cloth, crackers, candelabra and flower centrepiece.
Tom's expedition was in aid of the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity and he expects to raise about £5,000.
It was not the first challenge that Tom has embarked on.
In May, 2004, he and nine friends set a Guinness World Record by having a formal dinner party at 22,300ft on Everest, beating the previous record set by an Australian team in 1989.
Tom, 35, who was brought up in Kirkburton, has also done a solo cycle ride of almost 3,000 miles from the Arctic Circle in Iceland to Casablanca in North Africa.
He said: "The weather on this trip was the most challenging so far, with the party being battered by blizzards, heavy rain and storms, as well as the challenge of altitude sickness, which affected a number of the party.
"The Christmas dinner was held at Kibo Huts, at 15,500ft.
"I then went on an eight-hour ascent, starting at midnight on Christmas Day, to enjoy after-dinner drinks on Boxing Day at 18,638ft."
Brian Curran, a Marie Curie Cancer Care fundraiser, said: "Tom has certainly reached some remarkable fundraising heights.
"His efforts will enable our nurses to continue to care for people living with cancer who are able to choose to remain at home during their illness."
Tom added: "I wasn't sure what to expect on this expedition and as it turned out it was very tough.
"The weather was against us from the start and some of our bags went missing on the flight. But we battled through and had a lovely dinner during a break in the weather at Kibo.
"I was chuffed to bits to be able to toast our success on the top of the volcano although our guides were a bit bemused by the whole escapade.
"Most of all though I would like to thank all the sponsors and to say that I am still collecting if anyone else would like to make a donation to the charity!"
Anyone wanting to recognise Tom's achievement by making a donation can do so by going to www.justgiving.com/ChristmasOnKili
Photos of the trip can be seen at www.christmasonkili.net
