Fairford mountaineer Kenton Cool said he has “a few more Everests left” after reaching the summit for a record-breaking 16th time, the most climbs by any non-Sherpa.

Mr Cool, 48, reached the summit overnight on Saturday, May 14.

He said there was “a feeling of euphoria in base camp” afterwards, adding that they had the “perfect” day to the summit.

“It’s arguably one of the best days I’ve had,” he said.

“We left under almost a full moon, crystal clear, the stars were just all over the place.

“We hardly needed headtorches, it was comparatively warm, we weren’t wearing mittens, which we would normally do.

“There weren’t that many people. So you hear about all the crowds, and we had none of that, we had the perfect day to the summit.”

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard: Kenton Cool after reaching the summit of Mount Everest for a record-breaking 16th time Kenton Cool after reaching the summit of Mount Everest for a record-breaking 16th time

In his previous 15 trips up Everest, Mr Cool has been a guide to other well-known mountaineers, including Sir Ranulph Fiennes and broadcaster Ben Fogle.

Fogle described Mr Cool as “one of the all-time greats”, adding: “To climb Everest once was a trial – to climb it 16 times is heroic.”

The British guide said the most important thing he has learned is “to be humble”.

“The Sherpa team we work with, they are the guys that make it possible,” he said.

“The humility those guys have is unbelievable, and I try to bring a little bit of that home with me.

“We do need to respect nature and the power she has. Because if Mount Everest wants to, she will extinguish life in a click of a finger.

“It is a very dangerous place to be despite all the experience and understanding that we have – we are grappling and wrestling with forces of nature.”

Mr Cool was told he would never walk again unaided after he shattered both heel bones in a rock-climbing accident in 1996. He defied those predictions with a year of surgery and therapy, but still has chronic pain.

And despite saying he was “hobbling around base camp” after the climb, Mr Cool said he believes he is not done yet.

“I think I’ve got a few more Everests left. I’m not going to say exactly how many because I’m not sure,” he said.

“But I will certainly keep returning to the country long after I hang up my boots for climbing Everest.”