The New Zealand born mountaineer became the first climber (alongside Tenzing Norgay) to reach the summit of Mount Everest on May 29 1953 – he was aged 33 at the time. He has never lived this legend down, becoming a national hero, even appearing on the New Zealand $5 note.

In 1985 he accompanied fellow pioneer Neil Armstrong in a small ski plane over the Arctic Ocean, landing at the North Pole, thus becoming the first man to stand at both poles and on the summit of Everest.