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Last Updated: Sunday, 12 June, 2005, 12:21 GMT 13:21 UK
Student mountaineer returns home
Jake Meyer
Jake raised cash for the Children's Wish Foundation
A student has returned to his family home in Gloucestershire after becoming the youngest Briton to reach the top of the "seven summits".

Jake Meyer, 21, from Tetbury, reached the top of Mount Everest on the weekend of 4 and 5 June.

Family and friends gathered at the University of Bristol student's home on Saturday to welcome him back.

Jake, who rang his parents from Everest, said: "When I spoke to my mother I just burst into tears."

'Savoured the moment'

The Seven Summits challenge involves climbing the highest mountains in each of the seven continents and has been completed by only 150 people.

Speaking from the garden of his parent's home, Jake said he celebrated his achievement shortly before reaching the top of Everest.

Picture of Jake Meyer talking to friends
Jake (right) entertained his friends with stories of his Everest climb

"I actually savoured the moment more just below the summit on a little plateau as I was waiting for the rest of my team to come up, before going for the top," he told the BBC.

Jake raised money for the Children's Wish Foundation charity by climbing Everest.

For part of the journey, he travelled with the explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, whose own attempt on the summit was abandoned on Saturday for health reasons.

Jake narrowly missed out on becoming the youngest person to climb all seven summits to a 20-year-old woman from the US.


BBC NEWS:VIDEO AND AUDIO
Hear Jake Meyer talking about his achievement



SEE ALSO:
Student climbs into record books
06 Jun 05 |  Bristol
Student scales seven mountains
06 Jun 05 |  In Pictures


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