THE acclaimed Cumbria-based mountaineer Doug Scott has died.

The 79-year-old - who shot to fame when he became the first Briton to ascend the South West face of Everest with Dougal Haston - had been battling cancer.

He passed away in his sleep at his home in Cumbria early today.

Regarded as one of the best ever British climbers, he dedicated years of effort to helping the impoverished mountain people of Nepal.

He set up Community Action Nepal.

Commenting earlier today, fellow mountaineer Chris Bonington said: "Doug and I have known each other for so many years.

"On the 1975 Everest expedition he went to the summit with Dougal Haston.

"Doug was a great - an amazing - climber. But he put so much back through what he's done with Community Action Nepal - in founding the charity, and the work he's done.

"He was an amazing person, and had an absolutely amazing life. He's given so much to so many people."

A tribute on the UKH website said of Doug, who lived at Hesket Newmarket: "His climbing career spanned six decades and included the first British ascent of the South-West face of Everest alongside Dougal Haston, where they spent a night bivvying 100m below the summit.

"He reached the highest peaks on all seven continents and pioneered big walls from Baffin Island to the Karakoram.

In 1977, Scott and Chris Bonington made an ascent of Baintha Brakk (7285m), better known as The Ogre, in the Pakistan Karakorum. On the descent, Scott broke both his legs and one of the great mountaineering tales of survival ensued where it took the pair 8 days to get to safety."

Doug was diagnosed with a form of brain cancer in March - yet even so he continued fundraising for Community Action Nepal.