Jamie Almost Climbs Mont Blanc

Scottish climber Jamie Andrew who lost both his hands and feet to frostbite in an accident in the Alps has come within 300 metres of the summit of Mont Blanc.

Jamie was climbing with his partner on Les Droites in 1999 when they were stranded by a storm which killed his companion and resulted in his own injuries. Since then he's managed to climb Ben Nevis, regularly snowboards and has even had a crack at the London Marathon.

For normal walking he has specially designed carbon fibre / titanium legs and walking poles adapted to fit over the stumps of his arms, but for steep snow and ice he has a specially adapted set of ice axes which fasten over plastic and carbon fibre sockets which fitted to his stumps.

Jamie was drawn back to the Mont Blanc Massif in an effort to lay some ghosts to rest, he's quoted in Scotland on Sunday as saying:

"It seemed like the obvious thing to do. Call it an exorcism, or wanting to get the whole thing out of my system, I didn't want there to be anything in my life I couldn't face."

In the event he was turned back just 300 metres below the summit as bad weather swept in towards the peak. More details in Scotland on Sunday, where you can read Jamie's thoughtful firsthand account of his attempt on the mountain.