A climber who survived a six-day ordeal trapped in freezing conditions in the French Alps today told how his friend froze to death next to him.

Jamie Andrew, 29, from Edinburgh, who suffered severe frostbite in all his limbs, said he owed his life to his companion Jamie Fisher, 28, of Harpes Road, Oxford.

He said: "The one thing that kept us going was our friendship.

"We buoyed each other up. On several occasions we had to keep each other going to survive. Sadly, only I made it.

"The loss of my friend is far sadder to me than any injury that I have sustained myself. I am not a hero. If anything, I am slightly tough. I wanted to get out alive. There is nothing heroic about that." Mr Andrew claimed he did not expect to survive and praised his rescuers. He said: "The rescue services were incredible. They were totally magnificent and it is a miracle that they managed to get me off at all. They managed an incredible job considering the horrendous conditions."

The pair became trapped on an icy ridge blasted by fierce winds. Temperatures fell to as low as -30C as they were stuck 13,000ft up in the mountains near Chamonix.

They had been attempting to climb Les Droites near Mount Blanc.

Mr Andrew said: "The conditions were unexpectedly bad. I have never experienced anything as bad for so long. It just didn't stop.

"There was nothing we could do except wait for help to arrive."

French rescue teams reached them last Sunday but Mr Fisher had already died of hypothermia. Doctors in the French hospital, which has dealt with similar cases before, are hoping to save Mr Andrew's blackened hands and feet.

"It is a very long process," Mr Andrew said. "I am not trying to deceive myself about the extent of my injuries.

"I know they are bad and I know there are still major hurdles to overcome. I've got an awful lot of treatment to undergo.

"I've got very severe frostbite in all four of my limbs and I am still fairly numb. I am not in much pain but I can tell it is going to be a very long process. I can't say I am making a recovery apart from the fact that I have thawed out.

"It is too early to say if I will ever climb again. I know all my limbs are badly damaged so that is a long way off. But I am an active person and I will enjoy an active lifestyle whatever I do." Mr Andrew and Mr Fisher shared a flat in Edinburgh and were regarded as two of Scotland's top climbers. Mr Fisher's mum, Pam, 54, who is a teacher at Northern House School, Oxford, told the Oxford Mail her son died doing what he loved.

She said: "We are all devastated but I think we all feel he was doing what he loved and we would never have dreamt of stopping him, because it was what drove his life.

"He loved it so we are trying to accept it. It is a very great loss."

Mr Fisher attended Bishop Kirk School and the Cherwell School before studying geography at Edinburgh University where his love of climbing grew.

Recently he had also spent a few months working at Northern House School helping children with behavioural and emotional difficulties. Jamie's younger brother Robbie, 22, has returned to Oxford from Manchester where he is a student. His older brother, Matthew, 29, is a scientist in California. Their father, Stewart, is a consultant physician at Milton Keynes.

Story date: Friday 05 February

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