Tony Lyons, charity worker at Hope & Homes for Children, holding a photograph of Mount Everest, off which he had to be airlifted by helicopter after getting altitude sickness. DA4743P1A CHARITY worker from Salisbury-based Hope & Homes for Children has told the Journal how he had to be airlifted from Mount Everest after being taken seriously ill during a fundraising expedition.

Tony Lyons (55), the charity's regional fundraising co-ordinator, was overcome with severe altitude sickness as his party encountered fierce storms and sub-zero conditions.

Everything had gone well for the first week but at 12,500 feet Mr Lyons was struggling to breathe and an anxious doctor radioed for an emergency helicopter.

He said: "I didn't feel like I was in an emergency situation but the doctor said I had to go before my condition deteriorated.

"Apparently if you don't get down quickly you can slip into a coma and, of course, that can result in death."

It was only when he was safely back at Kathmandu and being cared for at a clinic that Mr Lyons realised how serious his condition had been.

"At that stage I couldn't put one foot in front of the other.

"But the worst thing was this noise in my chest - it sounded like crisp packets rustling in my lungs.

"It was a little bit like being in a swimming pool with your head just above water and each time you breathe you take in a lungfull of water."

Most of the 34-strong party - virtually none of who had trekked up a mountain before - were affected by the weather conditions and altitude during last month's expedition.

"No one escaped.

"It just affected various people in different ways - some had severe headaches while others were left with bad coughs and a complete loss of appetite.

"Even the Sherpas who accompanied us said they had never encountered such fierce storms."

In total, 32 people achieved their goal of reaching the Everest base-camp at 17,600ft and helped raise nearly £150,000 for Hope & Homes for Children.

They included a relative of Sir Edmund Hillary, who last year celebrated the 50th anniversary of his conquest of the world's highest mountain with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, and two others from the charity - Mandy Mulliner and Andrew Barrett.

Despite not reaching base-camp himself, Mr Lyons said it had still been a fantastic adventure and he was already looking forward to the charity's next fundraising challenge.

Hope & Homes for Children cares for 10,000 youngsters in several countries, with services such as providing homes for street children and helping young people who have Aids.

For more information on their work, contact them on 01722 790111 or visit www.hopeandhomes.org