TWO British climbers have claimed a world record for high-altitude ironing by pressing a Union Jack at 5,440m (17,800ft) on Everest.

John Roberts and Ben Gibbons jumped the queue of international teams awaiting permission to climb the world’s highest peak after pressing shirts for members of the Indian Army at base camp.

Mr Roberts said: “We trekked for 17 days to get to base camp with Ben carrying the ironing board on his back.There were 35 teams waiting to climb to the summit. The day after we got to base camp, we climbed for an hour and then ironed our Union Jack, beating the 4,100m record set by a Swiss man in the Alps.

“We felt so privileged. People don’t usually get the chance to stay at Base Camp, let alone go above it. We only got the opportunity because of our ironing board.”

Mr Gibbons said: “It was awkward carrying the board on my back all the way, but it was a great sense of achievement.” His mother, Caroline, said that she was proud of his efforts, particularly considering that he had once dismissed ironing as “women’s work”.

Extreme ironing’s popularity took off, now boasting an estimated 200 enthusiasts worldwide, after it featured in a Channel Four documentary last year. British “ironists” have claimed world records for altitude, as well as depth — a team of divers “ironed” at a depth of 100m. The sport was thought up in Leicester in 1997 by a factory worker who decided to combine his favourite activity of rock climbing with his least favourite, ironing.

Mr Roberts, 35, an antiques dealer, and Mr Gibbons, 22, a heating system designer, both from Cheltenham, are now waiting to see if their record falls to another British team, who will attempt to use their iron at 6,400m on Everest this month.

More on the Everest record at www.extremeironing.com .

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