Climber Ian Toothill's ashes scattered on Ben Nevis

Ian Toothill's friends scattered his ashes at the top of Ben Nevis on Saturday - along with those of his mother

The ashes of a man who climbed Mount Everest while he had terminal cancer have been scattered on Ben Nevis.

Ian Toothill conquered the Everest in June 2017 after being told he had only months to live.

His friends scattered his ashes, along with his mother's, on top of Scotland's highest mountain on the anniversary of his Everest climb.

Mr Toothill grew up in Sheffield and was a Sheffield Wednesday fan. He lived in Willesden Green, London.

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Ian Toothill had said he always planned to climb Everest but had been forced to bring it forward when his bowel cancer returned

Mr Toothill was diagnosed with bowel cancer in June 2015 and died in January, at the age of 48.

Richard Barker, a childhood friend, said 13 friends had come from as far as Belgium, London and Berlin to scatter Mr Toothill's ashes, in accordance with his last wishes.

'Failure not an option'

Mr Barker said his friend was "an incredible person."

"As far as we know, no one with terminal cancer had tried to climb Everest before or been at altitude with cancer," he said.

"Failure was not an option. The illness was there but it wasn't going to stop him. He was hell-bent on getting to the top."

Mr Toothill had previously said he was turned down by 1,700 insurance companies as he planned the climb.

A plaque was left for Ian Toothill on Ben Nevis

Afterwards, he said he had battled storms, lost his tent, and suffered snow-blindness in the expedition.

"Many other people who are fit and in their prime have failed to reach the top of Everest," Mr Barker said.

"Ian wasn't a well man when he tried it, so how he got up there I don't know."

Sheffield Wednesday fan Ian Toothill planted a flag for rivals Sheffield United on the Everest summit after £1,000 was donated to his Macmillan fundraising appeal

Ian Toothill tweeted from Everest in May 2017 during his ascent