Kimberley Walsh: Charity trek did me long-term damage
Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh has been left with long-term injuries from her charity trek up Mount Kilimanjaro, she said today.
The 28-year-old singer scaled Africa's highest mountain with bandmate Cheryl Cole and the likes of Ronan Keating, Gary Barlow, Fearne Cotton and Alesha Dixon for Comic Relief in March last year.
But Walsh told OK! magazine: "I felt so exhausted afterwards and ever since I've had quite a lot of problems with my hips - so I had to rest for a while really to strengthen my joints and stuff.
"I think I did myself a bit of long-term damage actually! It's fine, though, it was worth it. But don't worry, I don't need a hip replacement just yet!"
The stars raised more than £1.5 million for Comic Relief from the five-day gruelling trek up the 19,300ft (5,900m) peak.
They suffered from altitude sickness, endured sleepless nights while battling oxygen levels half of those at sea level and temperatures of minus 15C (5F) during the ascent, which was described as "hell on earth".
During the climb in Tanzania, Cole received news that her then husband, Chelsea and England footballer Ashley, had been arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in London.
