A SOUTH Lakes climber is to make his third attempt to climb Everest.

Cystic Fibrosis sufferer Nick Talbot, whose parents Keith and Gay live in Kentmere, is currently on the mountain acclimatising before he returns to base camp to prepare for the ascent.

If he succeeds this time he will be the the first man with the condition to conquer the world’s highest mountain.

Nick's most recent attempt was last year, when he was confronted by a ‘white tsunami of snow and ice’ which left him hospitalised.

He sustained numerous cracked ribs and bruising after an avalanche triggered by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal came hurtling down the slopes and left a trail of devastation at Everest Base Camp.

He became hypothermic while waiting 24 hours for a helicopter to lift him to relative safety.

A year earlier Nick was forced to abort his mission when an avalanche claimed the lives of 16 people.