AN 18-YEAR-old from Penn has nearly fulfilled her ambition to climb the Seven Summits with just Everest left to face and has already broken a world record.

Leanna Shuttleworth became the youngest British female to summit the highest mountains in three continents- North America, South America and the Antarctica.

She and her dad, Mark, 48, have completed their sixth climb in the Seven Summits, which challenges walkers to climb the highest mountains of every continent.

They have just returned from climbing Vinson Massif in the Antarctica, where Leanna broke the world record.

She said: "It was really brilliant- just being in the Antarctica. It took four days up and one down. Because of the altitude we had rest days inbetween.

"It is just snow and ice and rock. It is just incredible. It is such a massive place that is so desolate and yet so beautiful."

She had the idea to take on the Seven Summits on a trip with the Dubai school she attended.

Leanna said: "It all started from a school trip to Everest base camp and I absolutely adored it. It was probably, to date, the best time in my life."

The same teacher who organised that trip said she was going to take people to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Leanna signed up, as did her dad, who is CFO of Dubai telecoms company.

That was four years ago and to date father and daughter have covered five more with just Everest left, which they have booked for the end of March.

Her mum, Jenny, and sister, Kelly, 16 are going to join them at base camp.

She said her family are very adventurous and enjoy the outdoors.

Leanna, who was born in Hazlemere, has taken a gap year to do the two month trip before she hopes to study veterinary at university in the Caribbean.

Whilst raising money for the Vitiligo Society she aims to become the youngest British female to finish the Sven Summit challenge, and the youngest British female to reach the top of Everest.

Not content with attempting to summit the world’s tallest mountain, Leanna has her sights set on a world first: To become the first female to summit two 8,000m peaks within 24 hours. In a 24 hour period, she will attempt to summit Everest, and Lhotse immediately afterwards, the fourth highest mountain in the world. For more details go to www.leannashuttleworth.com