Tory peer conquers Antarctic summit
Conservative peer Lord Forsyth has successfully scaled Mount Vinson, the top of the bottom of the world, raising more than £350,000 for charity.
The former Scottish secretary risked temperatures of -30C to reach the top of the 16,000ft peak, which towers over the frozen wastelands of Antarctica.
Lord Forsyth, the MP for Stirling from 1983-97, undertook the expedition in aid of Marie Curie and Children in Need India.
His sponsors included every surviving person to have occupied 10 Downing Street, including David Cameron, Lady Thatcher, Sir John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
At 56, Lord Forsyth was also the oldest member of the team, who set out just after Christmas.
A keen climber, he was persuaded to tackle the summit by explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, after he raised £210,000 for charity climbing Kilimanjaro in 2005.
Lord Forsyth said on his blog he used to document the trip, that the beauty of the Antarctic had "brought tears to my eyes".
He reached the summit of Mount Vinson at 5pm local time, on 4 January.
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