A MOUNTAINEER'S attempt to become the first Briton to scale the 14 peaks over 8,00 metres in the world has been delayed by strikes.

Alan Hinkes, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, is Britain's leading high-altitude climber.

He has flown out to the Himalayas to climb Dhaulagiri, the seventh highest mountain in the world, as part of Challenge 8000. He has already climbed 12 of the 14 peaks and has only Dhaulagiri and Kangchenjunga left.

Mr Hinkes is staying in a hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal, but has been unable to make any of his preparations for his climb because Maoist guerillas have called a bandh, a general strike, and the city is at a standstill.

All the shops have been closed, and there have been no vehicles on the road, with the threat of Maoist recriminations ensuring that the bandh has been strictly observed, apart from a few demonstrations and occasional rioting.

However, hope is in sight as the bandh is due to end soon.

In his first report home, Mr Hinkes said he was confident he could finish his preparations and start his trek on Monday or Tuesday.

He said: "Nothing is ever simple in Nepal, and there is always something other than the mountain to test me.

"Despite delays, I should be able to get cracking with my final preparations over the weekend, pack my expedition backpack and head off on the trek early next week.

"This all means that a mid-May summit is still possible, with a couple of summit windows available after that if necessary."