British climber Jamie Andrew says he is first quadruple amputee to scale Matterhorn

A British mountaineer has claimed to be the first quadruple amputee to have climbed Switzerland's Matterhorn.

Jamie Andrew, 47, scaled the 14,692ft Alpine summit using prosthetic legs and specially adapted poles.

Mr Andrew lost his hands and feet to frostbite after he and his partner were trapped in a storm in the French Alps in 1999.

His partner Jamie Fisher died.

After having his limbs amputated, Mr Andrew had to learn to walk again.

He took up skiing and long-distance running before returning to mountaineering.

He spent five years training before attempting to reach the summit of Matterhorn with the help of two guides from the International School of Mountaineering.

"In the end, climbing the mountain was the easy bit - it was all the graft and preparation, and trial and error [that was hardest]," he said.

Mr Andrew's claim to be the first quadruple amputee to scale Matterhorn was backed up by a Swiss mountain guide and warden of the Hoernli Hut base camp.

"I don't know of any other such case," Kurt Lauber said.

Mr Andrew has raised more than £100,000 for charity through previous challenges.

In the past 17 years, he has climbed Kilimanjaro, Ben Nevis and participating in the London Marathon.