BRITAIN'S most accomplished mountaineer has told pupils at a Worcester school that their forthcoming expedition will change their lives.

Doug Scott CBE visited The King's School Worcester Himalaya Club to talk about his past expeditions into the mountain range.

He was the first Englishman to climb Mount Everest as part of the 1975 expedition. Since then he has climbed numerous peaks in the range.

"They know what to expect as the school has been so many times before," said Mr Scott, 60.

"But if it's their first visit I've noticed people who have been just for a week who have said that it has changed their life.

"They've found themselves with such poor people who have been so happy, helpful and caring.

"It's the people who make it as much as the mountains."

The school's Himalaya Club next visits the mountain range in summer next year.

Every year a small group of 16 and 17-year-olds visit the Himalayas, where they take part in a trek as well as a community project.

The three-week trip costs around £2,500 and the pupils have to carry out fund-raising activities to raise at least £250 themselves.

The audience on Friday, October 18, included members of next year's expedition as well as past members and other avid climbers.

"If you don't take risks you can't expect to give yourselves extra possibilities in your lives," said Mr Scott, as he showed slides of past expeditions.

"It's only when you take risks that interesting things suddenly happen."

He said that he took a risk himself when he gave up teaching in 1971. Months later he was part of an expedition trying to conquer Mount Everest.

"If you climb Everest people think your opinion is worth listening to," he said, speaking of his subsequent television appearances.

"You begin to believe the myth that you can do anything."

Mr Scott is already planning his next expedition to the mountain range.

As well as mountaineering he has set up two co-operatives within Nepal involving community action and trekking groups.