Sir Ranulph's Everest bid delayed

Sir Ranulph Fiennes' bid to climb Mount Everest has been delayed because of the Olympic torch relay.

The 64-year-old suffered a heart attack during his first unsuccessful attempt to scale the mountain in 2005.

He reached Everest Base Camp on Tuesday for acclimatisation, ready to begin his ascent at the start of May.

But his team discovered the Chinese are to close to the mountain on the Tibetan side for the first ten days of the month to grant the flame safe passage.

Writing on his blog, the Somerset-based adventurer revealed: "Mountaineering is always risky but it is usually events such as avalanche or bad weather that can hamper an expedition.

"This year, unexpectedly, the challenge has come from China. The Olympic torch is heading for the summit of Everest from the Tibetan side and is due to arrive between May 1 and 10. For this period the mountain has been effectively closed on both the Nepali and Chinese side."

He added: "By the time we first saw Base Camp in the distance it was a very welcome sight. Lots of people try to make it to the Everest Base Camp and a lot don't because of the various problems with altitude sickness - not just headaches but sickness.

"I would like to say that I am feeling confident. The feeling of altitude - even walking in light boots from the tents to the mess tent, you're completely out of breath and you wake up in the night with panicky-type breathing. It doesn't bode well but you have to think of each day as it comes and hope that when the leader Kenton Cool takes you over the next bit you are up to it."

Sir Ranulph and his team hope to raise £3 million for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

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