A PROFESSIONAL mountain guide from Kendal has been awarded a BBC Blue Peter badge for guiding one of the children's television show's presenters to the summit of Mont Blanc, reports Andy Bloxham.

Andrew Owen, who lives on Aldercroft, took presenter Simon Thomas to the top of the 4,807-metre (15,771ft) peak, along with his television crew.

Mr Owen, a father of three, said: "Blue Peter badges are one of those things that are uniquely British, like Marks and Spencer and Zulu (Michael Caine film). My kids said: It's pretty cool, dad'."

With a raised eyebrow, the man who has scaled mountains from Patagonia to the Himalayas, added: "It felt like a life-long achievement had finally been fulfilled."

Mr Owen's employers, Sheffield-based outdoors firm Jagged Globe, was contacted by the BBC about taking Mr Thomas up the mountain and the Kendal man was selected to do it.

After an introductory course in Switzerland, when the presenter learned how to put on crampons and hold an ice-axe, the pair went to Chamonix to tackle Mont Blanc.

Mont Blanc, which means white mountain' in French, is the highest peak in Western Europe.

Following the most popular Gouter' route, the television team, Mr Owen and a second instructor, Owain Jones, from Kendal Green, climbed more than 4,000 metres.

The riskiest section, Mr Owen said, was a section of exposed rock ledge, where "if you are going to get hit by a falling rock, it's there".

However, the group completed the climb without trouble and Mr Owen said the television presenter had no problems with its physical side.

"I think he had been a sportsman in the past. He had just done the selection for the Paras," he said.

Mr Owen spends summers in the French mountain resort of Chamonix and climbs Mont Blanc up to six times a year.

His work is a far cry from his first climb - 159m (522ft) Arnside Knott, near Carnforth.

Mr Owen's wife, Luz, was keen for him to be on the show and knew it well, despite being Peruvian.

He said: "When I'm demonstrating things now, I can say here's one I made earlier'."

Mr Owen said his friends from the climbing community would be watching for mistakes and he added: "I think I'm dreading that!"

The programme is due to be shown in mid October.