Well wishes mount for Inglis 

New Zealander Mark Inglis has succeeded in becoming the first double amputee to climb Mount Everest.

He phoned his wife Anne soon after reaching the summit.

She says the expedition was incredibly important to Inglis.

"It's something he's been dreaming about for many years... I know that if he hadn't made it up it would have been really disappointing for him so I can now relax and know that he will be happy with what he's done."

The 47-year-old's legs were amputated below the knee after he spent 14 days trapped in an ice cave on Mt Cook in 1982. He resumed mountaineering after being fitted with carbon-fibre prosthetic legs and climbed the 3,754 metre Mount Cook in 2002 before conquering Cho Oyu two years later.

Anne told TV One's Breakfast programme that once Inglis conquered Mt Cook he knew there was a chance he could take on Everest.

The ascent of the mountain was not without its hiccups. Two weeks ago Inglis had stopped to acclimatise part way up the mountain when one of his fixed-line anchors became free. He slid down the mountain snapping his right carbon-fibre leg in half.

Anne says the broken leg was not a major issue for her husband.

"He has plenty of spare legs and spare parts... and he never likes to do anything easily, he always likes to have a wee bit of drama about what he does."

He fixed the carbon-fibre leg using duct tape until a spare could be brought to him.

Anne says he faced more difficulty when he lost his voice.

"Losing his voice I think that really threw him. I think he felt all right but his throat has been really sore and it was just not being able to talk - and Mark likes to talk."

Inglis has a long list of achievements including winning a silver medal in cycling at the Paralympics, then two years later he conquered the mountain that robbed him of his feet. Anne says she doesn't expect him to slow down as a result of his latest achievement.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has congratulated Inglis. She says reaching the summit of Everest is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement for any climber and it's a truly remarkable feat for Inglis, New Zealand and world mountaineering. 

"As an amateur climber myself with two sound legs and having got to 6000 metres, I can appreciate what an amazing achievement this is. I offer him my full congratulations," she says.

New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first climbers to conquer Mount Everest in 1953. But Inglis is the first person to conquer the mountain without his own legs.
 
Since news broke of his amazing feat emails have been flooding in from around the world and the phone at the family home hasn't stopped ringing.

Anne says she fielded a few hundred calls on Tuesday.

"He is amazing, he is just so determined. I have watched him do things where I have thought anyone would have given up this ages ago, and he still goes on and on."

Inglis should reach base camp on Wednesday and return home in a week.

"Hopefully there's nothing else he needs to climb now. I'm very proud of him and very relieved that he's managed to do it," his mother Mary says.