Dad's pride at son's landmark Everest triumph

Keith Talbot hailed 40-year-old Nick’s “super-human” effort to conquer the world’s highest mountain, despite having almost died twice from the lung condition.

Nick, who grew up in Durham and studied modern languages at Lancaster University, reached the peak on Friday having had tragedy halt two previous attempts. In 2014 the mountain was closed after 16 Sherpas were killed, and last year Nick was seriously injured after an earthquake caused an avalanche.

His dad Keith, 67, who grew up in the Alsop Street and Lytham Road areas of Preston, said: “I did think that it would have put him off going back again, so it surprised me greatly when within two weeks of coming home he decided he wanted to go out again.”

Nick, a director of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, has been able to benefit from a new type of treatment.

Mr Talbot, a retired computer engineer, said: “Nick has always pushed himself and even before he was given new medication he was into mountaineering and climbed Cho Oyu, world’s sixth highest mountain.

“He has to take drugs every day, but other than that, he carries the same kit and oxygen as everyone else. At a lower level he’s as good as anybody, but as you get higher up the oxygen levels drop dramatically and that’s when he struggles. It’s a really super-human effort.”

He added: “Nick hasn’t done this for personal glory, he’s done it for the CF Trust, hoping to raise £100,000 for them.

“Also, he’s had a tremendous number of messages from people with CF and their parents who have been inspired by his efforts.”