Kenton Cool, hoping to go one better than his ninth Everest summit

British Everest record-breaker Kenton Cool has made it to Camp Four in his quest for a tenth ascent of the world’s highest mountain.

The Gloucestershire-based climber is carrying an Olympic gold medal in his attempt to fulfil a pledge made by the failed 1922 Everest team to take it to the top of the mountain.

Poor weather and an injury to expedition member Dorje Gylgen delayed Cool’s team but they have made steady progress and have now reached Camp Four on the South Col.

In a text to his support team, the 38-year-old said: “Made C4. V windy. All OK.”

He plans to summit early on Friday and, communications and weather permitting, send the first live broadcast to BBC television from the mountain.

Four climbers died this week high on the summit as large numbers of mountaineers caused delays for many in the ‘death zone’ above 8,000m. Queues of up to 150 climbers waiting to make their ascent below the Hillary Step were reported at one time.

German Eberhard Schaaf, 61, of Aachen, Canadian Shriya Shah, 32, who was born in Nepal, and South Korean Song Won-Bin all died near the South Summit on their descent. They are thought to have succumbed to high altitude cerebral oedema. The body of Chinese climber Ha Wenyi was also found close to the spot where they died. His Sherpa is still missing.