Scottish duo aim to be first married couple to conquer Everest

London, May 16 (UNI) A Scottish husband and wife team heading for the summit of Everest aim to become the first UK married couple to conquer the world's highest mountain.

According to the last e-mail sent from base camp, Phil and Pauline Sanderson, of Grantown-on-Spey, Moray, may reach the top of Everest tomorrow. If they succeed, Pauline, who works in an office, will become one of the first people in the world to have made the journey from the world's lowest point, in the Dead Sea, to the world's highest.

She was one of a group of five who set off from the Dead Sea in Jordan in December, cycling through eight countries on their way to base camp, as part of the Everestmax expedition to attempt the world's longest climb for the first time.

Husband Phil, who is a climbing instructor at Glenmore Lodge near Aviemore, was one of a team of mountaineers who joined the party at the base of Everest in Tibet.

Colleague Lisa Fuchs said friends had been following the expedition on internet as the expedition passed through Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal and China.

''The whole cycling part of the expedition sounded amazing. It was like the adventures of Tin Tin,'' she said.

The cyclists were in Pakistan during the controversy over the publication of the Danish cartoons, and in Nepal they witnessed the pro-democracy protests.

In an e-mail from base camp sent on 9 May, Mrs Sanderson wrote ''We are feeling in great shape and the team is ace. Phil and I, plus two others, have been chosen to be the first group to attempt the summit.'' UNI XC SB RN1645