Marie Curie Cancer Care has announced that Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ attempt to climb Everest for the charity will go ahead as planned, albeit with a few restrictions, following the Chinese and Nepalese governments’ decision to close the mountain between 1 – 10 May.

Kenton Cool, Sir Ranulph’s expedition guide said: “Having spoken to the Nepalese authorities, we are confident that the Everest Challenge can go ahead, we leave for Nepal April 2.”

If Sir Ranulph, 64, reaches the summit he will be the first man ever to cross both ice caps via both poles and to scale the world’s highest mountain.

Sir Ranulph attempted the world’s highest peak in 2005 but experienced serious heart problems just 300 metres from the summit and was forced to turn back. This time he will be climbing the South Col route from Nepal, first climbed in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, to raise £3 million for Marie Curie’s pioneering Delivering Choice Programme, through which the charity aims to double the number of people given the choice to die at home.

Sir Ranulph said: “I was moved to support Marie Curie Cancer Care after I lost my mother, wife and two sisters, the latter three to cancer, all within an 18-month period. Given the choice most people would choose to die at home, surrounded by the people they love – I have seen first hand the difference that can make.”

by Marie Curie Cancer Care