A NEWPORT man returned home to a hero's welcome after helping to save the lives of three men in the Himalayas. He talks exclusively to JON DOEL.

A CHARITY mountain climber from Newport dramatically saved the lives of three people after rescuing them from the wreckage of a helicopter crash in the Himalayan mountains.

Newport father Richard Jenkins climbed more than 1,000 ft from his camp at 17,000 ft to haul two shocked Nepalese army pilots and an American surgeon to safety after their chopper crash landed on the remote mountain of Lobuche near Everest base camp.

Mr Jenkins, who was taking on the Everest challenge to raise money for a Crohn's disease charity after his daughter Samantha was diagnosed with the condition, gave first aid to one of the injured pilots who had suffered a serious hand wound, before trekking for an hour to lead the men to safety.

The helicopter's radio was badly damaged during the crash and the pilots were lying stunned next to the helicopter at a height of more than 18,000ft in temperatures of below -15 degrees celsius.

Mr Jenkins, aided by a local sherpa, gave them oxygen and water before other members of his group called for a rescue helicopter using a satellite telephone from a settlement at the base of Lobuche.

He said: "If we hadn't have been there I don't know what they would have done.

"They were completely disorientated and in total shock. One of them had cut his hand up really badly.

"The adrenaline was pumping and it was a really nice feeling to think we helped them be table to see their families again."

Mr Jenkins and his party had seen the helicopter pass over them just minutes before hearing it crash into the mountain.

The father-of-three and his sherpa climbed for more than 30 minutes to reach the three stricken men.

It is understood high winds caused the helicopter to spin out of control before its propellers clipped the mountain, sending it crashing into the thick snow-covered ground.

Mr Jenkins was walking between Gorak Shep mountain and Lobuche in the moments before the crash on Wednesday during his three week trip.

WELCOME HOME Hero Mr Jenkins received a huge welcome home from his family on his return to St Julians yesterday afternoon. The father left home on February 8 and has only had three short phone calls with wife Tina and three daughters, Samantha, 20, Tamzin, 13 and Abbie, 12. His family daubed the house on Sutherland Crescent with welcome home banners and cracked open the champagne. The Solutia worker raised more than £4,000 for Action Medical Research, which has a number of Crohn's disease research projects. Wife Nadine, 36, said: "It's brilliant to have him home. We're all very excited. "He is a real hero for helping those men and he's raised an amazing amount for charity."

Chron's disease Crohn's Disease is a chronic inflammatory illness that can affect the entire digestive system. The disease affects the gut wall, inflaming it and causing a wide range of symptoms. Symptoms can include diarrhoea, weight loss, fever, tiredness, abdominal pain, sore mouth and even sore eyes. Even with surgery the disease, thought to be hereditary, has a tendency to recur and can cause complications outside of the intestines.