Leo Houlding is recovering after an operation on his ankle following a fall in Patagonia. Leo was attempting to free the Maestri Egger route on Cerro Torre when he took a 40 footer and hit a ledge on the way down, smashing his anke. He was at approximately 1000ft on the route and was about to back off because of wet rock, when a fixed rope from an attempt the previous year lured him on. He felt like he'd cheated on the pitch as the rope was within reach, so he descended and begun reclimbing the section, but then took the fall. It took 3 long days to get off the route and to hospital before flying back to the UK for an operation. Apparently, the following day after descending, an avalanche swept over the north face where the trio would have been if they had continued on the route.

Part of Leo's ankle joint is broken and he has had a bone graft from his hip and pins inserted to help it heal.

Source Cumbria on-line