DULOCH Spiderman is set to reach new heights after announcing plans to tackle Mount Everest next year.

The Dunfermline superhero, otherwise known as Dave Roper, will climb to the mountain’s basecamp with dad Kevin.

The ten day adventure will see them eventually reach altitude of 17,600 feet / 5,389 metres before tackling the journey back down.

Dad-of-two Dave has taken the plunge to arrange the “bucket list” challenge to mark his 40th birthday.

“Before the whole Spiderman thing, I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 2016. I loved every part of it. Since then, Everest has been one of those things on the bucket list. I wanted to do it and Covid got in the way and life gets in the way,” he explained.

“I contacted my dad who is out in France and said 'I am booking it for my 40th next year, are you interested in doing it with me?'. He is 100 per cent up for it.

“I am not 40 until November but am doing it in May as weather and general views are better then.”

After earning the title of Duloch Spiderman when he donned the costume to do his daily exercise and cheer locals up during lockdown, Dave is keen to ensure his trusty superhero outfit comes with him for the trip.

“I am taking the suit – I have a few suits now so I will take the older one up there and get some pictures in key locations,” he said.

“I am hoping to find someone going all the way to the top to give them the mask and flag to take up. It is going to be fantastic.

“The fitness, I am not too bothered about. It is the altitude which is the thing. At Kilimanjaro, I felt rough for a day or so but it passed so hopefully it will be the same.

"Even the flight into the airport is labelled the world’s most dangerous airport. There is no runway. It looks amazing.”

Dave has set a fundraising target of £5,000 for his climb – with the first £1,000 paying for the trek and expedition and the rest going to the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity.

He is planning events before May’s challenge to boost his total.

“The first six weeks of lockdown, while running for a bit of fun, it turned into a whole team event. I was doing stuff on my own as well, raising a serious amount of money for Calaiswood school,” he said.

“It really hit me how supportive people are, how amazing the whole experience has been and I thought it was a good time to slow things down and I took a few months off doing birthday visits. I will be back doing them for donations, I will make sure I raise that money.”

Duloch Spiderman’s efforts since lockdown saw him being recognised on the BBC One Show and even attracted suggestions last week that a street be named after him near the new Dunfermline learning campus.

Modest Dave played down the idea, adding: “I didn’t know it was a thing until I was tagged in it. It is a good bit of banter but I don’t think it will be happening!”

Anyone wanting to help Dave with his fundraising can do so by visiting https://gofund.me/816ced46.