Boy, eight, to climb up to Mount Everest base camp

Frankie McMillan, eight, is an avid climber

An eight-year-old boy who last year is believed to have become the youngest Briton to climb Greece’s Mount Olympus is now preparing to climb to Mount Everest’s base camp.

In September Frankie McMillan, from West Cumbria, climbed Mount Olympus to raise money for Wasdale Mountain Rescue.

Next week he will start a 12-day hike to Mount Everest’s base camp.

He said he wanted to one day become the youngest person in the world to climb to Everest’s peak.

“I would like to beat the record,” he said.

"It's always been my dream and we want to just at least get to base camp. I know it's not the top, but one day we'll be there."

Everest's base camp sits at an altitude of 5,364m (17,598ft).

The young mountaineer will be joined on his ascent by his mother Basia McMillan.

The pair are planning to walk more than 130km (80m) over 12 days and are raising money for the children’s charity Make-A-Wish UK.

Ms McMillan, a mountain guide, said they were aware of the risks.

"We just have to give it our best,” she said. “We don't give up but if we are not feeling well we've pinky promised to each other that we're going to turn back because safety comes first."