A HUDDERSFIELD engineer has conquered the slopes of Everest.

And grandfather Philip Clarke did so despite the risks of altitude sickness.

Indeed, only he and one other of his party completed the final ascent to the mountain base camp, at more than 18,000 feet.

Mr Clarke, who works at David Brown Gears, also raised £1,300 for the charity MIND with his efforts.

He has worked at the Huddersfield engineering company for 34 years.

He flew out to Kathmandu to link up with the rest of the trekking party and then flew to Lukla Airport which is at 9,000ft and was recently voted the world’s most extreme airport.

The trek took nine days to base camp before the final attempt to scale Chhukung Ri at 18,238ft.

Mr Clarke, who has three young grandchildren, said: “We were lucky with the weather, as it was the tail end of the monsoon season and we started with rain and snow.

“Half of the original 11-strong group suffered from altitude sickness and of the seven of us who decided to go on to the base camp, only two of us made it.”