Summit of achievement for youth

The team are already planning future mountaineering projects

A 19-year-old climber who was part of the youngest three-man team ever to reach the summit of Mount Everest has spoken of his pride at the achievement.

Speaking from Kathmandu, James Hooper from Somerset said: "Coming up the final summit ridge I was full of anticipation then we got to the summit.

"We could see the whole of the Indian sub-continent and the Himalayas spreading from east to west.

"It's young to do this but we've been building the experience for years."

'Rock barriers'

James, who is from Wellington, Somerset, added: "It was an extremely difficult climb from the north side which is the side we did it from.

"There are a number of big physical rock barriers to getting to the summit. It really takes it all out of you to pull and heave yourself up these rock steps at such high altitude."

It was last week that the three-man team made the climb on the South Col, the first to do so this season.

James and his colleague Rob Gauntlett, of Petworth, Sussex, reached the summit via the north route.

Rhys Jones, of Cadnam, Hampshire, made it to the summit just over seven hours later.

The team, who were raising funds for Cancer Research UK, do not plan to hang up their crampons just yet.

"We've got a couple more projects up our sleeves which we are going to start researching when we get back home," said James.