Businessman Emon Choudhary has just got back from an Everest expedition that left him feeling “on top of the world”.

And he’s got more than £5,000 of sponsorship to show for it to give to charity.

The 24-year-old, of Frizinghall, climbed Everest to help orphans in Africa and Asia. Mr Choudhary left his car accessories business behind to fly to Kathmandu to join 13 other climbers in the challenge, for the Islamic Relief Foundation.

But after spending two weeks heading to the summit, the team was foiled at the last stage by high winds.

“The wind speed was about 220mph,” said Mr Choudhary. “It was just too dangerous to get to the top. It was massively disappointing to get so close to it but we know we did our best.

“Out of the 14 of us who set off together, ten dropped out on the way which was a bit gutting. A lot of them got altitude sickness.”

Mr Choudhary, the last three other climbers and their sherpas reached the penultimate base, Base 3.

“The view from Base 3 was what we would have seen from Base 4 anyway, I’m told,” he said. “It really did make me feel as though I was on top of the world and that’s a feeling that will be hard to beat.”

The total from his fundraising venture now stands at £5,300 – £300 more than his original target.

“I’m absolutely thrilled and am already making plans for what’s next,” said Mr Choudhary, adding a skydive could be his next adventure. “In the long term a few of us are talking about swimming across Lake Windermere, then cycling down to London in time to do the marathon.”