A TREKKER from Duffield who was taking on a 200-mile charity hike in Nepal is safe, despite storms in the area that have killed 32.
But John Holmes and his group had to take shelter from the weather for 36 hours with no heat or light.
His wife Madeleine said it was a day after the snow storms and avalanches started until the groups' guide got an e-mail out saying they were safe.
She said: "The storms started on Wednesday and we didn't know until the e-mail was sent out via the guide's satellite phone on the Thursday.
"As you can imagine, we were beside ourselves.
"They had no heat or light, which must have been pretty awful.
"And once they came out of where they were they had to walk through four foot snow drifts."
Mr Holmes had been following in the footsteps of his daughter Philippa, who died in June 2009, aged 24, from a condition related to her heart.
The 21-day expedition, which started on October 4, is to raise money for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), which supports research into the sort of condition which killed his daughter.
It will also support the Steve Sinnott Foundation, set up in memory of the former general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, who died in similar circumstances to Philippa.
The Foundation helps with education projects in Nepal and other impoverished areas.
The snow prevented Mr Holmes from getting to the highest point of the trek - Thorung La, at 5,400 metres.
But his group have managed to get to a lake just 400 metres lower.
They are now planning to hike to where a new school building is being put up by the Steve Sinnott Foundation.
Mr Holmes is aiming to raise £5,000 and has £3,000 so far.
To sponsor him, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ and search for John Holmes.
