This article first appeared on http://www.telegraph.co.uk . The original can be read here .
A five-year-old boy is on the verge of achieving a spectacular new world record - after climbing the equivalent height of Mount Everest in just six months.
Charlie Batham at the peak of Whernside in the Yorkshire Dales CREDIT: PAUL BATHAM /SWNS
Since April this year Charlie Batham has climbed 30,000ft - higher than the tallest mountain in the world - to reach the top of 19 British peaks.
Two of the youngster's most impressive conquests are 2,300ft Pen-y-ghent and Scafell Pike in the Lake District - the tallest mountain in England at more than 3,000ft.
Schoolboy Charlie often hikes up to ten miles a day but his father Paul, 51, says his boy "never gets tired" and has "unbelievable" energy to keep going for hours and hours.
Mr Batham has now nominated his "brilliant" boy for a brand new Guinness World Record as the "youngest person to climb the equivalent height of Mount Everest".
He said: "I can't believe how well Charlie has done in such a short space of time, I'm really proud of him.
"To see him go up these hills and mountains at the pace he does is unbelievable, he pretty much runs up some of them.
"His energy is absolutely incredible - I struggle to keep up sometimes."
The idea to start hiking came about in April, when Charlie, who's from Wakefield, West Yorks, said he'd "like to climb a mountain" for his fifth birthday.
Charlie surpassed 29,029ft, which is the height of Mount Everest, last month after getting to the top of 1,800ft Brown Knoll in the Peak District.
Paul said: "Charlie knew it was the hill that would push him over the edge so he was so determined to make it to the top.
"I was really happy for him too, it's been an incredible effort from him."
Charlie said: "I love climbing the mountains and the hills because I get to be with my dad and sometimes my mum as well."
He added: "I'm really happy that I might get a world record - I'd love to do it all over again!"
Mr Batham hopes Guiness World Record officials will get back to him with good news within the next three months.
He has sent them pictures of Charlie at the top of each peak to prove their claim is legitimate.