Alan Hinkes on Annapurna, one of the hardest 8,000m peaks.

On Monday, 50-year-old Mr Hinkes became the first Briton to reach the summit of the world's 14 highest mountains by climbing Kangchenjunga in Nepal.

David Blades, the mayor of Mr Hinkes' home town of Northallerton, thinks the climber should be given a knighthood after his "fantastic achievement".

Only 12 other people have reached the top of all the mountains over 8,000m.

Mr Hinkes, a former geography teacher, was born in Northallerton in 1954 and educated at the town's grammar school.

He started his mountaineering exploits in the Alps with ascents of Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn.

Alan Hinkes surveys the scenery during his ascent of Kanchenjunga

Mr Blades said Northallerton town council would be meeting later this month to decide how it could honour its famous resident.

One option is to award him honorary citizenship of the town and Mr Blades said they would also be talking about making a formal recommendation that he should be knighted.

"I think he would be a very worthy candidate," he added.

Several callers to BBC Radio York on Friday morning also said they thought Mr Hinkes' name ought to appear in the next honours list.

Mr Hinkes himself has been giving more details about the final push to the summit of Kangchenjunga which he says was the hardest climb of his life.

"I did push it too hard to the top and when I got there it was seven o'clock at night and it was dark and in a blizzard.

"I thought I was going to die.

"I didn't get any sense of satisfaction until I got back to base camp."

Mr Hinkes will be returning to the UK later in June.