A mountaineer was filmed as he lay dying close to the summit of Everest, The Northern Echo can reveal.

The footage was captured by Sherpas wearing helmet cameras, who were part of a documentary film crew that came across North-East climber David Sharp as they descended.

They asked his name and he replied: "My name is David Sharp, I'm with Asian Trekking."

They contacted their expedition leader, but were advised to continue down.

Mr Sharp was filmed hours after climbers accompanying double amputee Mark Inglis, from New Zealand, first came across the stricken 34-year-old, of Guisborough, east Cleveland, on their way to the summit.

Last night, a Discovery Channel spokeswoman told The Northern Echo: "We are still reviewing all the materials that were obtained from the expedition.

"The programme has not been slated (scheduled) for airing for many months."

Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, urged the TV channel to show respect by not releasing the footage.

He said that if Mr Sharp's parents wished to contact him, he would raise the matter with the Foreign Office and Nepalese authorities to determine if more could have been done to save their son.

"If this film is ever released it would seem voyeuristic in the extreme, as well as distressing to Mr Sharp's parents, family and friends," said Mr Kumar.

"I would hope it is never shown and I would hope that the Discovery Channel will reflect very deeply on the issue."

Many of the climbers were under the direction of guiding company Himex, run by New Zealander Russell Brice.

They were either part of the Tigress Production crew, filming for Discovery, or from the party that included Mr Inglis.

The Northern Echo reported on May 19 how Mr Sharp froze to death in a cave hours after conquering Everest.

The cave was next to one of the main routes and 300 metres below the summit.

Up to 40 climbers are said to have passed by him. Mr Sharp, who was climbing alone, ran out of oxygen only a one to two-hour climb from high camp.

Two New Zealand climbers accompanying Mr Inglis said they found Mr Sharp at about 1.50am on May 15, but he was "too far gone to really be able to do anything".

Himex expedition leader Mr Brice, who was at base camp, has contradicted comments from climbers who said he knew of Mr Sharp's presence during the ascent, but said that nothing could be done.

At 9.30am, another group of descending Himex climbers reported that Mr Sharp was close to death, he was "still alive, but unconscious".

At 11.45am, a Turkish group and a Sherpa gave him oxygen and tried to get him to his feet, but he kept collapsing.

Veteran climber Dr Jose Ramon Morandeira, the head of research at Zaragoza's University Hospital, in Spain, specialises in the treatment of frostbite and emergency mountain medicine.

He said: "I've seen people in the mountains in a much worse state - and they made it. I can't guarantee he would have survived the rescue, but at least people around him would have had the satisfaction of knowing they had tried their best."

Mr Brice met Mr Sharp's parents, Linda and John, earlier this month. "They have no interest in the release of recorded materials," he said.

Alone on Everest - Page 5