A TEAM of soldiers swapped the hills of North Yorkshire for the mountains of northern Pakistan as part of a joint training expedition.

The eight-person UK team was formed from 32 Engineer Regiment based at Marne Barracks in Catterick Garrison and a Pakistani team made up of engineers and high altitude school instructors.

They completed a joint expedition in the Karakoram Mountains in northern Pakistan which is the most condensed cluster of peaks found anywhere in the world and includes K2, the second highest peak in the world.

The five-day expedition was from Minapin to the base camp of Rakaposhi at 3,300m following the Minapin Glacier which runs at 3,640 metres above sea level.

Captain Tom Kingsley, said: “With this being the first adventurous training expedition to Pakistan in more than 40-years we were incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to visit such a beautiful country.

“Visiting the meeting place of the Hindu Kush, the Karakoram Mountains and the Himalayas was the highlight for me quickly followed by playing sports - badly - at high altitude.”

Sapper Liam Doak, from Middlesbrough, described the expedition as a “once in a lifetime experience” and thanked the people of Pakistan.