She may be just 5ft 4ins but after rowing an ocean and twice trekking to the North Pole, a 64-year-old supergran is aiming to reach new heights by scaling the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

When Jan Meek’s husband died 17 years ago, her world came crashing down around her but a “late gap year” became the start of a new and eventful chapter in her life.

Ms Meek, of Ham Common, said: “When my husband died the first adventure was getting over it. He was the love of my life.

“I never thought I would reach any heights again - well I’ve reached lots and now I’m going to reach Kilimanjaro.”

Six years after his death, when Ms Meek was 53, she received a call from her son, Daniel Byles, who phoned to say his teammate in a 2,900-mile rowing challenge from Tenerife to Barbados had pulled out.

The mother-of-two cannot remember anything else about the call other than putting the phone down having agreed to take on the Atlantic with him - re-mortgaging her house to help raise £70,000 for the charity challenge.

“I said to Daniel ‘we are not rowing a boat across the ocean we are rowing my house’,” she explained.

“Daniel and I were more frightened of failure than death.

“All my friends thought I was mad.

“I think my husband is the reason I did all this, we called our boat ‘carpe diem’ - ‘seize the day’.”

Ms Meek became the oldest woman to row across an ocean as well as being part of the first mother and son team to complete the 101-day feat.

After a 10-year break, during which she became a grandma, Ms Meek took on another epic challenge - a 350-mile race to the magnetic North Pole.

She spent 30 days on the ice in minus 67 degree temperatures.

Supergran Jan said: “Some of the young men were getting up at 2am because they did not want me to overtake them.”

Within a year of finishing that feat, explorer David Hempleman-Adams invited her on a 100-mile expedition to the geographical North Pole - the highlight of which was playing a game of Arctic cricket at “the top of the world”.

Now, the 64-year-old plans to climb Kilimanjaro next month before fulfilling a few other ambitions, including learning the saxophone and how to swim front crawl.

Ms Meek said: “My mother is in her 80s and she walks a mile or two everyday so I have a wonderful role model.

“I don’t think I will ever hang up my boots.”

Show your support

Although she may possess powers most mortals lack, supergran Jan needs your help to raise £10,000.

Ms Meek will attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro on September 29 in aid of The New Victoria Medical Foundation, which supports children suffering from diseases that affect their mobility.

The Ham resident, who keeps weights by her kettle so she can work out while it boils, said: “I like to hope I can help these children reach their own peaks.”

To sponsor Ms Meek visit justgiving.com/janmeek