“IT’S a desolate place – very cold and littered with rocks. There isn’t much oxygen, so you have to get out fairly quickly.

“Many of the people returning from the summit had blue lips.”

Celebrities climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for Red Nose Day are in for a tough time.

Poole GP Sandra Charles should know – she’s just returned from her second ascent of Africa’s highest peak.

And the medic – a partner at the Heatherview medical centre in Alder Hills – is well placed to give a professional insight into the physical demands faced by Gary Barlow, Cheryl Cole, et al, in scaling the 5,800-metre climb.

“Altitude sickness is perhaps the main problem.

“You’re climbing significant distances in a short period of time.

“We climbed about 500 metres a day,” said Sandra, who climbed alongside a team of fundraisers in the role of team medic.

Tablets to speed the acclimatisation process were among the preventative measures dispensed by the GP in a bid to keep her team in shape for the days ahead.

“Another technique is to ‘climb high and sleep low’.

“On the third day of walking we climbed to 4,600 metres, but made camp at 3,900 metres,” said Sandra.

And while health and wellbeing aren’t qualities one immediately associates with Radio One DJ Chris Moyles, Sandra recommends a good level of general fitness to anyone contemplating the climb.

“It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and I’m pretty fit.

“Some of the people in my party had already taken part in the Three Peaks Challenge,” said Sandra, whose team raised over £85,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

So what awaits Fearne Cotton, Alesha Dixon and the others at the summit, assuming the celebrities have the requisite grit to reach the top?

“You feel as if you are on top of the world.

“You can see for miles, with huge glaciers, and the town of Moshi before you,” said Sandra.

And her advice to the nine celebrities battling to reach the summit by Sunday?

“Walk slowly, and wear lots of warm clothing.

“I wore full thermals, two fleeces, a down jacket, and a Gore-Tex over-jacket and trousers – and I was still cold!” said Sandra.