Fiennes 'making good progress'

Updated 14.40 Wed May 21 2008

Keywords: ginny, marie curie cancer, climbing, Himalayas, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Mount Everest

Sir Ranulph Fiennes is continuing his epic effort to reach the summit of Everest.

The explorer has cleared the Khumbu Icefall, a notoriously dangerous stretch of the ascent and he is now at base camp two, 6,500 metres above sea level.

It is the explorer's second attempt to climb the world's highest mountain

A heart attack stopped the 64-year-old's first bid in 2005 and this time he is climbing on oxygen on the advice of doctors to prevent strain on his heart.

Sir Ranulph is in remission from prostate cancer and his first wife, Ginny, died of cancer in 2004.

He hopes to raise £3 million for charity Marie Curie Cancer by reaching the summit.

The adventurer has already reached both Poles, crossed the Antarctic and Arctic Oceans, and ran seven marathons in seven days on seven continents.