When life-long Shrewsbury friends Finn McCann and Tom Greenwood set off to climb western Europe’s highest mountain they never imagined they would be forced to survive for nearly 24 hours in sub-zero temperatures trapped on an Alpine ledge.

Little too did they realise that a text message to their former Meole Brace School friend Chris Shannon would be all that would stand between them and disaster.

Finn McCann

After becoming trapped on the mountain in horrific conditions and with Tom suffering with a dislocated shoulder, they used the last battery power in their mobile phones to call and text their location, 3,500 metres (11,500ft) up the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey peak on Mont Blanc, to Chris before preparing to spend the night on the ledge waiting for a helicopter to rescue them.

Mountaineer Finn, of Bicton Heath, is an expert in extreme environments but treacherous conditions in the Alps left him sending out his first ever SOS message.

Finn, 23, who is training to be an expedition leader, has experience climbing all over the world including mountains in the Himalayas and South America.

Ordeal

Having gone to Meole Brace Secondary School and Shrewsbury Sixth Form College with Tom and Chris, also 23, he later studied zoology at Bristol University.

Now building up his CV so he can apply for a job as a tour leader in isolated environments his latest experience is likely to make him stand out from the crowd.

Tom Greenwood

His adventurous genes almost certainly run in the family with his two brothers, Rory, 26, and Niall, 28, also notching up a number of extraordinary challenges.

Speaking about the ordeal which happened on Wednesday, Finn said: “The climb up the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey part of Mont Blanc was well within our capabilities but when the weather conditions turned, the rocks became slippy and the situation changed.

“The rain then started to come down very heavily. We couldn’t climb any further so we decided to bed down for the night. This was at about 4pm and when you’re up at 11,000 feet it’s cold enough when you’re dry, but we were soaking wet.

“We knew we were in trouble so we phoned the emergency rescue team, but we couldn’t get through, so we decided to message our friend, Chris, who did everything he could for us. I’ve never had to be rescued before, I’ve retreated from routes, but this was a first. I know Chris was quite concerned.

“At 6am we used the last bit of battery to phone Chris to tell him we were all right but we still needed someone to come and pick us up.

“Tom is suffering a bit with his dislocated arm and his feet have also swollen up with the cold, but now we are back at camp, our spirits are high and we will be back home on Sunday.”

Chris Shannon

Finn’s mother Anna said she has had to learn to take these sort of incidents in her stride with all her boys taking part in an array of extraordinary challenges.

She said: “I have sons who keep on doing fairly extraordinary things so I am often in a state of suspense, but I only usually hear about the mishaps in their adventures after they have happened.

Sensible

“I didn’t hear about this incident until afterwards so I was spared the anguish. I spoke to Finn on Thursday afternoon and the battery was still low on his phone, he didn’t take his charger with him so I couldn’t get too much information.I found out most of the details through the internet.

“I believe they did the right thing by bedding down for the night and not trying to get on any further.

“It could have been very nasty indeed, but they were well equipped and they are both very sensible young men who have been in extraordinary situations before.”

Like Finn, Tom, who is an engineer of Copthorne Road, Shrewsbury, caught the climbing bug as a teenager and has scaled mountains in the Alps, the Himalayas and South America.

Himself and Finn became firm friends after meeting at Oxon Primary School. After attending Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, Tom went on to study for a degree in engineering at Birmingham University. He currently works for Grainger & Worrall Ltd in Bridgnorth.

In 2005 Tom was hailed a hero after he helped to save the life of a woman who fell into the River Severn in Shrewsbury. He later received a bravery award.

His father Paul, mother Lesley and brother Daniel today said they were looking forward to welcoming him home on Sunday.

Paul said he had only found out about the incident after reading about it in a news story on the internet yesterday afternoon.

Asked how he felt about his son spending the night in sub-zero conditions on top of a mountain, he said: “I am yet to weigh it up really it’s not sunk in yet.”

Lesley said she had spoken to Tom yesterday and he had told her his feet were blue although he did not believe it was frostbite. She added: “I have spoken to Tom and he was quite surprised at all the interest.”

She said: “It’s quite ironic that he rescued a girl from the river a few years ago and now it is him who has been rescued.”

Chris was in Nottingham, where he now lives, when he received the text message.

He made about eight international calls to rescuers who did not speak English before breaking the news to his friends that they would have to spend the night on the mountain. He stayed awake by his phone and at 6am the next day he took the call from Finn to say they had made it through the night and still needed help.

Chris is about to start a PhD in physiology at Nottingham University and works as a researcher at a hospital.

Originally from Copthorne, he today said he was just pleased his friends were safe.

“When I spoke to them in the morning it was a huge relief,” he said.

“They were eventually picked up at around midday and I had an ultimate sense of relief because when I spoke to Tom the day before he said they didn’t stand much chance on the mountain overnight. They’re two tough guys to have lasted it out.”

By Sam Pinnington, Russell Roberts and Emma Kasprzak