A LEDBURY man who helped ski-jump legend Eddie the Eagle Edwards to perform on the ski-jump last year will join the Olympic hero for a very special skiing event in March.

The gathering looks set to be an all time world record, on behalf of a cancer charity.

Rob Stewart, of Masefield Avenue, is a former professional skier and is currently a full-time ski writer.

He got to know The Eagle well last year when he helped the winter Olympian to relive his glory days, by being part of Eddie's team in the French Alps.

Not only did Eddie fly again, Eddie also coached five would-be ski-jumpers who had won a competition for the honour.

Mr Stewart, aged 46, who has himself been skiing for 35 years, has nothing but praise for the man who in 1988 became the first competitor since 1929 to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping.

Eddie the Eagle finished 73rd out of 73 competitors in the 70 m and 90 m events, and he was portrayed in the British media as the plucky outside, even a no-hoper.

On Italian journalist even referred to him as "the ski-dropper".

But Eddie, who has since become the subject of an amusing popular film, still became the British record holder.

Mr Stewart said: "Eddie is a very good skier, and he still enjoys ski-jumping. I know him quite well. I've spent quite a lot of time with him in the past year. He's not my best buddy, but he's just like you expect him to be. He's a really nice chap."

In March, Mr Steward will be in Austria with Eddie for a new challenge.

Skiers and fund-raisers will gather at Saalbach with the aim is to breaking a world record: the challenge of getting the most amount of people ever all skiing the equivalent of the height of Mount Everest in one day, a distance of 8,848 metres, and Eddie, the charity's patron, is acting as a figurehead for the fund-raising drive.

Mr Stewart said: "He’s so famous even people in Austria know who he is."

Because of Mr Stewart's experience on the slopes, he will attempt to ski the equivalent of two Mount Everests in a day.

Organisers are hoping that up to 500 people will go for the challenge, and that would set a new world record for the regular event, which has taken place in previous years.

The fund-raising will be for the charity Ski 4 Cancer, which provides alpine based respite days and short-breaks for British families affected by cancer.

The charity also make grants to UK based care institutions and supports research into the positive effects of sport and how it can help both prevent cancer and assist in recovery.

Mr Stewart has a personal reason for supporting the charity.

He said: "Last year, my best friend who is a ski teacher in Norway lost his wife, Wenche to cancer and he’s now left with a six year old daughter, Maya."

The family visited Mt Stewart and his family in Ledbury shortly before Wenche's death.

Further details on http://www.ski4cancer.org/ski-everest-2017 and http://www.ski4cancer.org/