'Lost' Mont Blanc climber was in UK

A British climber who abandoned his climbing equipment on Mont Blanc during a snow storm sparked a massive manhunt by police who thought he had died.

The man, known only as Mark, left his tent, camera and return train ticket 11,000ft up the mountain while attempting to scale the peak.

Rescuers found the gear during a 10-day search for his body. But Mark, who is in his thirties, was actually safe and having a drink in a pub in London when he met friends who had heard of his disappearance.

He then informed the authorities, saying he had fallen into a crevasse during teh blizzrd and decided it was safer to leave his equipment and head back to Chamonix.