Foot thought to belong to British mountaineer who vanished on Mount Everest 100 years ago found

A FOOT thought to beryllium to a British mountaineer who vanished connected Mount Everest 100 years agone has been recovered by documentary makers.

Andrew Comyn “Sandy” Irvine was past seen with George Mallory 800ft from the peak.

There has been speculation they whitethorn person been the archetypal to the acme — 29 years earlier Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.

Mallory’s assemblage was recovered successful 1999.

The foot, successful a footwear and a sock embroidered “AC Irvine” was discovered little down successful melting crystal connected a glacier beneath the North Face.

National Geographic Explorer Jimmy Chin, who was a subordinate of the ascent team, said: "Sometimes successful life, the top discoveries hap erstwhile you aren't adjacent looking.

"This was a monumental and affectional infinitesimal for america and our full squad connected the ground, and we conscionable anticipation this tin yet bring bid of caput to his relatives and the climbing satellite astatine large."

Irvine's great-niece Julie Summers, said she'd been "moved to tears" connected being told of the discovery.

"I person lived with this communicative since I was a seven-year-old erstwhile my begetter told america astir the enigma of Uncle Sandy connected Everest," she said.

"The communicative became much existent erstwhile climbers recovered the assemblage of George Mallory successful 1999, and I wondered if Sandy's assemblage would beryllium discovered next.

"A quarter-of-a-century aft that discovery, it seemed highly improbable that thing caller would beryllium found.

"When Jimmy told maine that helium saw the sanction AC Irvine connected the statement connected the sock wrong the boot, I recovered myself moved to tears. It was and volition stay an bonzer and poignant moment."

Relatives person agreed to DNA tests.