Cheshire teenager safe after avalanche on Everest

A teenager from Cheshire who was caught in an avalanche on Mount Everest says he has been left deeply shocked by his experience

19-year-old Alex Staniforth was climbing the mountain when the landslide was triggered by the Nepal earthquake.

He spoke to Tony Morris and Lucy Meacock in our Media City studio about his journey.

A teenager from Cheshire who was caught in an avalanche on Mount Everest has returned home.

19-year-old Alex Staniforth was climbing the mountain when the landslide was triggered by the Nepal earthquake.

Alex from Chester, was at Camp 1 on the world's highest peak when the devastating quake hit.

Read about Alex's account of the devastation here

Manchester Cathedral has set up a prayer station to remember those affected by the earthquake in Nepal. A UK appeal for disaster victims has raised more than £19m and the Nepalese community in Manchester, the largest outside London, have also been gearing up their relief efforts. Meanwhile, Cheshire fire fighters have arrived in the region as part of an International Search and Rescue Team. The team is searching for survivors in the capital, Kathmandu.

A major effort is getting underway across our region to help the survivors of the earthquake in Nepal.

Volunteers are giving their time and money after thousands of people were killed and many more were left injured and homeless.

Meanwhile many families here are desperately waiting for news of loved ones caught up in the disaster several thousand miles away.

Our correspondent Matt O'Donoghue has the story:

A British climber has told of his terror as huge crevasses opened up around him and chunks of ice and snow threw him to his knees as he scaled the slopes of Mount Everest.

Alex Staniforth was with an expedition group climbing the mountain when a powerful earthquake hit Nepal, triggering an avalanche which claimed at least 18 lives - including three of the group's Nepali guides.

In an official statement released today, he revealed he believed he would be buried alive.

The avalanche trapped many of the 350 climbers on the mountain at the time, but clear weather has meant helicopters have now been able to rescue everyone.

He said he will be staying for a few days to help with the clean-up at base camp, and is due to return to the UK later this week.

A team of firefighters from Cheshire have set off to help in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Nepal that has killed thousands of people.

Six Cheshire staff and a rescue dog are joining a 67-strong International Search and Rescue Team.

The six from Cheshire are:

• Mark Coleman, based at the Service’s Headquarters in Winsford.
• Alexander Hayes, based at Crewe Fire Station.
• Stuart Deveraux, based at the Service Headquarters.
• John Turner, based at Chester Fire Station.
• Daz Tennant, based at Chester Fire Station.
• Steve Buckley, based at Knutsford Fire Station.
• The Service's search and rescue dog, Bryn.

Find out more about Alex Staniforth's story here.

The names of a number of people from the North West missing in Nepal after a devastating earthquake over the weekend have been released. The Red Cross say 90 British people are unaccounted for - 6 of those have been identified as coming from our region.

• George Richard Wilson, 69, Manchester
• Ian Wainman, 42, Merseyside - believed to be safe
• Karl Townsend, 43, Liverpool
• Martin Donnelly, 34, Stockport
• Mike Russell, 42, Lancashire - believed to be safe
• Naomi Everett, 24 Manchester