Some footage from Day 1 of their climb on El Capitan

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On June 9, Major Packer will begin to climb El Capitan, a mountain in Yosemite National Park, in the US, a sheer rock-face ascent of 3,000ft which will take between three and four days.

The ascent is the equivalent of 4,254 pull ups and Major Packer will be joined by leading climbers Andy Kirkpatrick, Ian Parnell and Paul Tattersall.

"I need to carry on going," Major Packer said. "I will be doing an equestrian challenge after this, getting on a horse for the first time with Jodie Kidd. I will be giving a lot of thought about what I'm going to do in the future and when I get to the top of El Capitan I'll know exactly what I'm doing and when."

Major Packer finished the Flora London Marathon earlier this month in 13 days, and insisted that the support had been "overwhelming" all the way.

The 36 year-old, who suffered his injuries during a rocket attack in Basra, will return to duty with the Army in July, but revealed that "a real interest has opened up in me about disability sport. I now feel a part of two families, the Army, and the disability community.

"I have been developing an idea, and it is still only an idea, of perhaps helping to develop disability sport across the Army."

With the Paralympic Games in 2012 due to take place in London, Packer has already tried out as a potential fast-track athlete for the GB Paralympic team.

Major Packer was told that he would never walk again after the attack, in which he suffered a bruised heart, damage to his ribs and chest and the loss of the motor and sensory use of his legs.

He added: "The greatest realisation I've had in all of this is that regardless of what happens to you in life, there are still major goals you can set yourself, and major achievements to be made. My injury is not a disability to me any more. It's all about what I can do, not about what I can't do. That feeling is very strong."

To donate money to Help for Heroes, go to philpacker.com