A MOUNTAINEER who survived an earthquake and 200mph avalanche returned to his old school to raise awareness about a debilitating illness.

Earlier this year, Nick Talbot became the first person living with cystic fibrosis to reach the summit of Mount Everest and used his experience to deliver the biennial Bentley Beetham Endeavour Lecture at Barnard Castle School.

The event takes place in memory of former pupil and housemaster for 35 years Bentley Beetham, who was also an accomplished mountaineer and tacked Everest in 1924.

With a talk entitled Pushing Boundaries, Mr Talbot, aged 40, from Hamsterley, in County Durham, described how he developed the lung condition cystic fibrosis as a child.

He said: “My first taste of camping was a hospital oxygen tent at about the age of six.

“Then when I was 13, I went down with pneumonia and the doctors decided it was cystic fibrosis.”

The audience heard that he succeeded in the ascent of Everest at the third attempt, narrowly missing death and sustaining injury on the second attempt when the massive earthquake that ravaged Nepal dislodged a huge chunk of glacier, which swept through base camp at 200mph.

On his final attempt, Mr Talbot was faced with rapidly deteriorating weather including high winds and cloud.

He said: “Thankfully the weather broke but so did my oxygen.

“The tube had frozen so we bashed it around a bit and got it working again.

“When my Sherpa friend and I got to the top were were alone for about 15 minutes.

“It was incredible looking down on a sea of cloud and a huge relief.”

Describing the moment the devastating earthquake hit Everest base camp, Mr Talbot said: “I felt the earthquake and came out of my tent only to be greeted by a 300m wall of snow, ice and rock.

“I had about nine seconds so I legged it.

“It smashed me into the ground.

“It was like a bomb blast hitting base camp and I was very lucky to come out of it alive.

“When I consider the effort it took, step by step to reach the summit over a six-week period, I realise how lucky I am – for many people living with cystic fibrosis it is only what they experience every day of their lives.”

His feat has so far raised more than £92,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Headmaster Alan Stevens said: “Bentley Beetham’s amazing exploits continue to motivate our students today and inspiration must remain the currency of our school.

“Nick’s incredible feat encapsulates the spirit of endeavour that can overcome adversity and make real a difference to the world in which we live.”

For online donations, visit virginmoneygiving.com/CFvs.Everest.