A policeman is swapping his beat for a bat, to vice-captain a team in a world record-breaking cricket match near Mount Everest.

Pc Gareth Lewis, from Sunningwell, was appointed last week to play in an official Twenty20 game on the 5,165 metre-high Gorak Shep Plateau, just below Everest base camp.

Opening bowler Pc Lewis, an Oxford Triathlon Club member, will be among 50 amateur enthusiasts on the 18-day expedition next April. They plan to raise more than £250,000 for charity and to break the world record for the highest team game ever played.

Pc Lewis's side, Team Tenzing, will take on Team Hillary, unmpired by two English Cricket Board officials.

Everyone on the expedition has put in £1,500 and must raise a minimum of £1,500 from sponsors, to be split equally between Comic Relief and the Himalayan Trust. Pc Lewis, 27, said: "The expedition is a wonderful adventure to raise money and awareness for Nepal and for the charities.

"It was out of the blue for me and an utterly awesome surprise to be made vice-captain of Team Tenzing."

The weather conditions and altitude — twice that at which Fifa allows professional footballers to play — will make it very difficult for the teams.

Trip co-organiser Alan Curr said: "Getting up to the plateau is difficult even for a fit person, but then to play cricket on top of that will take great dedication, effort and fitness."