HE was the Scot who became the first Briton to stand on top of the world.

Now, 45 years later, Dougal Haston’s incredible triumph is being recreated in an unusual way - by climbing staircases around the country to the equivalent height of Everest.

Sir Chris Bonnington, who led the 1975 team, has joined fellow members Doug Scott and Paul “Tut” Braithwaite to head an appeal for participants.

But missing from recreating the Everest triumph will be Currie-born Haston, who tragically died two years later, aged 36, in an avalanche while skiing in Switzerland.

He and Scott were the first Britons from the team to stand on the summit on September 24, 1975.

The south-west face expedition was also marred by the disappearance of Mick Burke during his bid to reach the summit.

Sir Chris’s book about the climb was called Everest the Hard Way – a reference to the fact it was then the hardest route up the mountain.

Haston, who ran the International School of Mountaineering in Switzerland, and Scott, a mountain lecturer from Nottingham, had previously failed twice to conquer it.

The Queen sent a message to the team offering her warmest congratulations on a “magnificent achievement”.

Now Sir Chris and Scott, together with some of Britain’s most famous mountaineers, are seeking volunteers for the unusual new “Everest” challenge.

But, instead of facing months of acclimatisation and climbing, they will only have to scale their stairs 20 times.

And, unlike the real mountain, there is no danger of altitude sickness or avalanche.

The charity event is in aid of Community Action Nepal (CAN), which aims to raise cash for projects in the remote Himalayan regions.

“It’s been 45 years since Doug Scott and Dougal Haston stood on the summit of Everest, and become the first Britons to do – and the first ever team to ascend the south-west face,” said the charity.

“To commemorate this incredible achievement, we’re inviting you to climb Everest – from the comfort of your own home.

“We will be re-uniting members of the original 1975 expedition, as well bringing you exclusive video content from some of the greatest mountaineering legends of past and present.

“Please join our founder, Doug Scott, our Patron, Sir Chris Bonington and our Trustee, Paul ‘Tut’ Braithwaite in climbing Everest to help raise essential funds for Community Action Nepal.”

CAN are asking the public to collectively climb the equivalent height of 8,848m (29,029ft) on their own staircases.

Organisers said anyone wanting to take the Everest Challenge should  climb their staircase 20 times, take a photo of themselves at the “summit” of the 20th climb, upload it to social media or email it directly to CAN, make a donation via their JustGiving fundraising page and invite at least five friends to take part.

The charity said there would be special prizes for the most imaginative climbs, including best outfit, funniest photo and most family members climbing together.

It will also be adding up how many stairs have been climbed and calculating how far up the mountain participants have collectively travelled.

As certain milestones are reached, the charity will release specially recorded interviews with some of the original team members.

Prizes will be on offer for the best records.

Sir Chris, 85, who will be climbing in his old Everest gear, recently said he had got through lockdown by thinking of when he first scaled Suilven in the Scottish Highlands.

The mountain was also immortalised in the film Edie, in which Sheila Hancock stars as an octogenarian who makes a lifechanging decision to climb its slopes.

Sir Chris, who also briefly became the oldest known person to summit Mount Everest in April 1985, at the age of 50, placed Suilven at the top of the mountains that shaped his career.

“I first climbed Suilven back when I was 17 and it is one of the most magical days I have ever had,” he said.

“That day captured everything that I love about climbing.” Details of the Everest challenge can be found at https://www.canepal.org. uk/everest2020.