LEGENDARY mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, who has died aged 88, has been remembered by a retired Royal Navy seaman from Burton who helped save him from an Antarctic misadventure.

After conquering Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, in May 1953, Sir Edmund expanded his horizons even further and set off for the colder climes of the Southern Hemisphere with polar explorer Sir Vivian Fuchs in January 1956.

But Hillary, Fuchs and their crew had to be airlifted to safety by Navy helicopter when their ship, the SS Theron, became trapped in the treacherous pack ice during their trans-Antarctic expedition.

Bill Bartlett, 75, from Whitehayes Road in Burton, was a senior ASDIC operator on board HMS Protector, which answered the explorers' Mayday call while on patrol in the Antarctic.

He told how he was sent to take two helicopters over the stranded vessel and guide it through the cracks in the solid pack ice.

And once the crew had been airlifted to safety, they were invited on board the Protector to have dinner with the captain.

Mr Bartlett said: "To get on to the vessel they had to climb a rope ladder. When one of the crewman turned to Sir Hillary and asked if he would be able to climb it, he responded jovially: I think I'll manage that'."

He said he was surprised by how big the New Zealand-born explorer was, describing him as "a very pleasant man".

"He came on board and had photos taken with anyone who wanted them and signed autographs before they went back to their own ship and we all went our separate ways."

Sir Edmund Hillary reached the top of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953, but his achievement was not announced until three days later, the day of the Queen's coronation.

And according to former Christchurch councillor and mayor Cllr Michael Pearce, several roads in Somerford were named in honour of the mountaineer's great achievement in 1953.

Everest Road, Hunt Road and Hillary Road were being built during 1952 and 1953 and since they coincided with the Queen's coronation and the conquering of Mount Everest, the tenants association and the council decided to dedicate them to the explorers, who included expedition team leader John Hunt.

Mr Pearce, a long-time resident of the estate said: "It has become a very fitting tribute and lasting memorial to a truly great achievement."