Climber's family roped into Alps summit 'first'

Jessica Houlding said her main concern was that "the kids had fun" during the trip in July

The children of a Lake District-based adventurer have made history by reaching the top of an Alpine summit.

Leo Houlding, his wife, Jessica, daughter Freya and son Jackson spent three days on Piz Badile, on the border of Switzerland and Italy.

Freya, seven, climbed the 11,000ft (3,350m) peak herself, becoming the youngest person to do so unaided.

Three-year-old Jackson, who was carried in his mother's backpack, is believed to be the youngest to get to the top.

Freya climbed unaided, with Jackson carried in a backpack

Mr Houlding described the 1,000m (3,300ft) final ascent as one of the best climbs of its standard in the world.

"The climbing is never too difficult, but it's very continuous," he said.

"It's proper rock-climbing, you're using your hands the whole way and 1,000m is a long way, especially when your legs are only half a metre long."

Jessica Houlding said she would not advise "an ordinary family to do the outing"

Mrs Houlding said: "To ordinary people it might seem quite a dangerous pursuit, but my main concern was that the kids had fun.

"My husband is extraordinary in terms of his capabilities, he's a professional,

"I certainly wouldn't advise an ordinary family to do this outing."

The family spent three days on the mountain staying in bivouacs and huts

Mr Houlding added: "Going into the mountains involves risk, every day involves risk, but part of the reason we chose that mountain is because the objective risks, the risks you can't control, are relatively few.

"When you're climbing the big part of the skill is knowing how to make it safe."