Ex-Marine explorer finishes historic triathlon by climbing to summit of world's highest peak

A FORMER Royal Marine is back home in Torquay after having made history by completing the world's longest climb of Mount Everest - the final leg of an extraordinary triathlon that began on the shores of the UK and ended at the top of the world.

- by LEWIS CLARKE [e-mail] @DevonLiveNews

Mitch Hutchcraft, 31, reached the summit of Everest at 7.30am Nepalese time on May 11 following an epic 240-day journey that involved swimming, cycling and running thousands of miles across multiple continents.

Speaking from Everest, he said: "It was more magical than I could have ever dreamed. Although I lost my dad 11 years ago, he was with me every step of the way. It's been tough. Really tough. The most difficult thing I've ever done. But I couldn't be happier and more proud of finishing this epic adventure.

"It's been a dream of mine since I was eight years old to climb Everest, ever since I saw it in a book. Never in a million years did I think this would be how I'd get here. Years of preparation, eight long months of physical endurance, swimming across the Channel... the hardest day of my life, cycling across 19 countries, running 900km and following in the footsteps of the first ever climb of Everest to reach base camp. It's been one hell of a journey."