BRITAIN'S most successful high-altitude climber has set his sights on his next target - the seventh highest mountain in the world.

Alan Hinkes hopes to reach the summit of Dhaulagiri, 8,167m high, in May, and flies out to the Himalayas at the end of this month.

The 49-year-old, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, is the first Briton to have climbed 12 of the world's 14 peaks which are more than 8,000m high.

Challenge 8000 is his quest to be the first Briton to climb all 14, and become one of only 12 to achieve the feat.

In 2002, he climbed Annapurna by a new route and became the first British ascent for more than 30 years. There remains two of the 8,000m peaks to climb, Kangchenjunga and Dhaulagiri.

Alan had to abandon an attempt on Kangchenjunga last year after contracting a severe bronchial infection during his trek to base camp.

He is now fully fit and aims to try a new route on Dhaulagiri's south side.

"Dhaulagiri will be very hard work, made up of complex ridges and ice falls and the trek into base camp alone will take up to two weeks, travelling through the Kali Gandaki valley, the deepest in the world," he said.

"I will be making a modern, lightweight summit attempt and I am feeling confident. As I have always said I climb to live, not to die. The summit is always optional but returning is mandatory."