BRITAIN'S best-known climber has inspired a school to twin with another academy high in the mountains of Nepal.

Pupils at Egglescliffe School in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, have written letters and made a video for students at Melamhi School which is 2530ft above sea level in Nepal.

Melamhi School is supported by legendary British climber, Doug Scott and he is to deliver a lecture at the school to raise cash for the link.

Melamhi School is very remote, although a road is being built through the area. A video, sent from Egglescliffe on the first day of the summer holidays, has just arrived and the headteacher had to travel for two days to collect it.

Egglescliffe teacher Michael McElvaney, an amateur mountaineer, said that he was a fan of Doug Scott, and when the school was looking to link up with a Hindu-speaking school to tie-in with its Hindu A-level course, linking up with Mr Scott's charity Community Action Nepal, (Can) seemed ideal. He said: "The idea is not for this to be a fundraising project, it is about an educational and cultural exchange that will benefit the students. We want get across that the children there have the same aspirations as ours."

MrScott will deliver the lecture at the school on Monday, November 21.

Tickets cost £10. Half the money raised will go the school to support the link with Melamhi and the other half will go to Can. For details, call 01642-352587.