Fiennes Summit Push Begins

Rannulph Fiennes has set off towards the summit of Everest saying that he feels he has a 'good 50 / 50 chance' of reaching the summit and that he is neither optimistic nor pessimistic, but hopes to succeed as he would then raise more money for Marie Curie.

The team set off from base camp at 4am yesterday, Tuesday 20 May, and climbed through the Khumbu icefall and towards Camp 2 which they reached at lunch time. The plan now is to spend a rest day at Camp 2 before heading up to Camp 3 on Thursday with another early start.

If all goes to plan, Fiennes and his companions, including guide Kenton Cool, will reach the top of the world's highest mountain in the early hours of Saturday morning UK time.

If he succeeds, Fiennes at the age of 63, would be the oldest Briton to have climbed the mountain and also the first to complete the 'grand slam' of having reached both poles and the world's highest point.

But while polar exploration seems to come easily to FIennes, he's a reluctant climber who suffers from vertigo and is hampered by the loss of fingers to frostbite. He climbed the North Face of the Eiger with Cool last year and described the experience as 'horrific'.

His previous attempt at climbing Everest ended high on the mountain when heart problems - he has previously suffered a massive heart attack on a plane - forced him to turn back.

You can find more information plus the latest reports and videos from the team on Everest at www.everestchallenge.org.uk