A former RAF wing commander helped rescue an unconscious climber who had been struck by a falling boulder in the early hours during an Alpine mountain ascent.
John Edwards, of Pontesford, helped carry a German climber several hundred feet down the north face of the Eiger to allow a rescue helicopter to take the man to hospital.
The helicopter had been unable to reach the stricken climber, who was left with rib and shoulder injuries from the incident.
But after being treated at hospital in nearby Interlaken in Switzerland, the victim, who has not been named, has since recovered and returned home following the incident on July 16.
And the day ended in triumph for Mr Edwards, who is in his 70s, when he later reached the summit of the Eiger via the north face at the third time of asking.
His previous two attempts had been dashed by poor weather.
The feat completed a prestigious milestone for Mr Edwards, who has now successfully climbed the three famous north faces of the Swiss Alps – Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn and the Eiger.
He has also climbed a number of previously unknown routes on mountains in the Himalayas and Africa.
Mr Edwards said: “We had started our climb the day before, and just before dawn we heard lots of shouting above us. Some rocks had fallen and one climber was unconscious with damaged ribs and shoulders.
“Where he had fallen was too vertical for the helicopter to reach, so we carried him down a couple of hundred feet to a level platform where he could be winched up.
“The man was taken to hospital in Interlaken and survived, and the helicopter boys came and found us later and gave us some of their company caps for our help.
“This is the first time I have climbed the north face of the Eiger, and it means I have now done the trilogy of the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc and the Eiger.”.