ACTOR Clive Mantle and Marlborough jeweller David Dudley have completed the first stage of their charity trek to Everest base camp .

Mr Mantle, who lives near Box, fellow Holby City actor George Irving and Mr Dudley flew out to Kathmandu last week on the first leg of their trek through one of the world's most extreme climates, where temperatures at night plummet to minus ten degrees centigrade.

The three men have joined 36 other people for the Challenge of a Lifetime project to raise money for the Salisbury-based charity, Hope and Homes for Children.

Each adventurer had to raise £2,900 for the trip and any surplus is given to the charity.

Mr Dudley, who is a member of the Marlborough Rotary Club, has set himself the target of raising £19,500 to represent one pound for each foot he climbs to reach base camp on Everest.

Trip co-ordinator Jan Smith said with the two actors on board the trip had attracted a lot of attention, but the two men were keeping a low profile.

"They were looking forward to the trip as much as everyone else," she said.

"They have gone about the fundraising quietly and methodically. We are pleased with how they have handled it."

The group flew from Heathrow to Kathmandu last Thursday.

They are expected to reach Everest base camp, on a gravel plain below the Rongbuk Glacier, on December 3 or 4.

The charity's finance director, Neil Montgomery, has joined the trip, along with the charity's co founder, Caroline Cook, and fundraiser Sarah Bates.

Mr Montgomery managed to find e-mail facilities last weekend and was able to report progress to those back at home.

"He said they got there safe and sound and all was well and they would be making their way to Rongbuk Monastery," said Mrs Smith.

Rongbuk Monastery is the highest inhabited place on earth and is the next target for the trip.

The trekkers are camping on difficult terrain, getting used to the altitude and coping with one jug of warm water a day each and very few other facilities. So far there have been no problems and the trek is going to plan.

The group is being guided by Sherpas. "This is not a holiday, this is a real challenge," said Mrs Smith.

"Our contact with the group depends entirely on them being able to find a way to communicate. It is a bit hit and miss, so it was nice to get something this week."

This is the charity's first fundraising expedition and has involved months of planning and also many weeks of uncertainty because of the war against Taliban forces in Afghanistan.

There were times when the charity feared it would have to cancel and staff were keeping a close eye on the events that unravelled after the terrorist attacks on America on September 11.

"In the run up to the trek we had a lot of phone calls from people in the group wanting reassurance," said Mrs Smith.

"We were a bit worried at one point but were being told it was a safe area. If there had been any danger we would not have let the trek go ahead.

"We were all hoping nothing would go wrong, everything was in place and everyone would have been very disappointed. Thank goodness it is going to plan."

There is an emergency evacuation procedure in place with helicopters ready for take off if anything untoward does happen between now and the flight back to England on December 11.

"This trip is a mammoth task for everyone and we are keeping our fingers crossed for them," said Mrs Smith.