The Calderdale pair, both 48, spent it scaling the 15,780ft high mountain Mont Blanc, western Europe's highest peak, and once at the top, skiing back down it again.

Clive, of Luddenden, who is president of the Halifax Antiquarian Society, said: "It was gruelling and exhausting but something I can tick off my list for sure.

"It took four hours to get to the top because it was too cold to rest and after a 15-minute break we spent the same time getting back down.

"We kept each other going really and raised a glass to that at the bottom."

Poor weather conditions made the climb even more dangerous with ice fogs and driving minus 40°C winds constantly threatening the friends.

Clive said: "The weather was very bad and the mountain hadn't been climbed by anyone for days.

"We had spent more than a year training with ice axe climbs, mountain walking and road cycling through the hilly Pennines at night but nothing prepared us for the endurance required there.

"It was very emotional at the top."

The pair raised £3,000 for Cancer Research UK and the British Scoliosis Research foundation .