A FUNDRAISER who shot to fame after leading his team up the wrong mountain in a charity climb has been chosen as a torch bearer for the 2012 Olympics.

Damien Davis from Cricklade organised the Three Peaks Challenge in tribute to his friend Wayne Wilson, who died from leukaemia in January, aged just 26.

The group, Team Wayne, started off on the wrong foot when they scaled the Highland peak of Stob Ban rather than Ben Nevis – more than 5km away. And after a series of injuries on Scafell Pike the group abandoned any attempt to climb Snowdon in North Wales altogether.

But it was not a complete disaster. Team Wayne still managed to raise around £11,000 for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and achieved national awareness for the cause after several newspapers and TV programmes picked up the story.

The 36-year-old torch bearer may not be good with mountains, but he has been a rock to Wayne’s mum Kaye Wright, who nominated him for the honour.

Kaye, 49, said Damien had always been there for the family and had taken up a huge amount of his time organising events in memory of Wayne, so she could not think of anyone better to hold the torch. "I cried when Damien rang me and told me he had been chosen," Kaye said.

Father-of-one Damien said he felt very privileged and excited to carry the torch for his planned leg of the torch’s journey from Andover to Newbury in July 2012.

He said friends had been joking that he might take the torch off-course with his infamous navigation skills.

But added: "I’ll actually only be running for 300 metres so I’d like to reassure people that there’s no chance of me losing it."

Team Wayne continue to support Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. To make a donation visit teamwayne.co.uk

The torch will travel 8,000 miles around the UK and Ireland ahead of the games next year, before arriving at the Olympic Stadium on July 27 for the opening ceremony.