The fell top assessors climb Helvellyn every day in winter

While everyone else is tucking into their turkey, the 37-year-old will climb Helvellyn to check weather conditions at 3,114ft (nearly 950m).

The information he collects is put on the telephone Weatherline service, used by 200,000 people a year.

Information for the life-saving service is collected throughout the winter, including Christmas Day.

This will be the fourth time that Mr Collins has done the climb Christmas Day and the 211th time he has scaled the peak in total.

He is one of two fell top assessors who work for the Lake District National Park Authority and share the task of climbing Helvellyn during the winter.

Eye and ears

They record details of wind speed, temperature and snow and ice on the mountain's summit.

Mr Collins plans to do the climb with his wife Karen, and their border collies Kidsty and Drizzi - both trained search and rescue dogs.

For the journey he needs to carry a 40lb rucksack loaded with weather recording gear - anemometer, digital camera, waterproof notepad, pencil and safety equipment.

He said: "I see 50 per cent of this job as being the eyes and ears of Helvellyn. While I'm up there, if anyone needs help, I want to be able to respond.

"Wind is the greatest problem. Snow and ice you cope with, you just dress and equip yourself properly. There's nothing you can do about wind.