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| Fiennes climbs to Everest summit | Fiennes climbs to Everest summit |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Veteran British adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has reached the summit of Mount Everest, succeeding after two previous attempts ended in failure. | Veteran British adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has reached the summit of Mount Everest, succeeding after two previous attempts ended in failure. |
| He is the first man to cross both the planet's poles and climb 8,850 metres (29,035ft) to the world's highest peak. | He is the first man to cross both the planet's poles and climb 8,850 metres (29,035ft) to the world's highest peak. |
| Sir Ranulph, 65, who had kept this latest attempt at climbing the mountain low key, said: "This is the closest you can get to the moon by walking." | Sir Ranulph, 65, who had kept this latest attempt at climbing the mountain low key, said: "This is the closest you can get to the moon by walking." |
| The explorer began his latest attempt at climbing Everest three weeks ago. | The explorer began his latest attempt at climbing Everest three weeks ago. |
| He becomes the oldest Briton and the first British pensioner to scale the world's highest mountain. | |
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| On the slopes of Everest with Sir Ranulph | On the slopes of Everest with Sir Ranulph |
| Sir Ranulph turned back from the summit on his first attempt in 2005 after having a heart attack. | Sir Ranulph turned back from the summit on his first attempt in 2005 after having a heart attack. |
| Exhaustion forced him to turn back when he tried to climb it again last year. | Exhaustion forced him to turn back when he tried to climb it again last year. |
| EVEREST FACTS AND FIGURES Height: 8,848 - 8,850m (29,029 - 29,035 feet)First ascent: 29 May, 1953, Edmund Hillary/Tenzing NorgayNumber of ascents up to 1988: less than 200Number of ascents up to end of 2008 climbing season: 4,109 by 2,700 individualsMost people on the summit in a single day: 116, on 22 May, 2003Oldest summiteer: 76-year-old Nepalese man, Min Bahadur Sherchan Explorer who refuses to grow old How to climb Mount Everest | |
| His efforts this time are raising money for the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity - his wife, mother and sister all died from the disease within 18 months. | His efforts this time are raising money for the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity - his wife, mother and sister all died from the disease within 18 months. |
| During his career Sir Ranulph has led more than 30 expeditions. | During his career Sir Ranulph has led more than 30 expeditions. |
| The explorer is perhaps best known for a three-year transglobe expedition - the first successful circumnavigation of the world on its polar axis - which was completed in 1982. | The explorer is perhaps best known for a three-year transglobe expedition - the first successful circumnavigation of the world on its polar axis - which was completed in 1982. |
| He also travelled to the North Pole unaided, along with Dr Mike Stroud, as well as a 97-day trek across Antarctica. | He also travelled to the North Pole unaided, along with Dr Mike Stroud, as well as a 97-day trek across Antarctica. |
| Sir Ranulph had a triple heart bypass in 2003 after suffering from a heart attack. | Sir Ranulph had a triple heart bypass in 2003 after suffering from a heart attack. |
| Only four months later, he and Dr Stroud ran seven marathons in seven days on seven continents. | Only four months later, he and Dr Stroud ran seven marathons in seven days on seven continents. |