Foot, boot and sock believed to belong to Sandy Irvine, of George Mallory’s 1924 expedition, discovered on glacier

The partial remains of Andrew “Sandy” Irvine are believed to have been found on the slopes of Everest, a century after he died alongside fellow British climber George Mallory while attempting – or just possibly returning from – the first ascent of the mountain.

The two men, part of a British expedition to climb the north-east ridge, were last seen making a push for the summit on 8 June 1924. They never returned, leading to one of the most enduring mysteries in mountaineering – whether the two men died after reaching the summit, as members of their team believed.