Tom Ballard was attempting the ascent of Nanga Parbat. Photo: Ballard Images

The bodies of mountaineer Tom Ballard and his climbing companion Daniele Nardi have been found on Nanga Parbat.

The pair had been reported missing on the peak in the Pakistan Himalaya.

Mr Ballard was the son of mountaineer Alison Hargreaves, who died after summiting the world’s second-highest mountain, K2, in 1995.

Nothing had been heard from the two climbers on the 8,126m (26,660ft) mountain for almost two weeks.

Early searches were disrupted by the conflict between Pakistan and India over disputed territories in Kashmir. The continuing rescue operation was suspended on Wednesday but resumed after two ‘silhouettes’ were spotted on the mountain.

The Italian ambassador Tweeted news of the discovery

The Italian ambassador to Pakistan, Stefano Pontecorvo, said the Spanish climber Alex Txikon found the bodies of the two men on the Mummery Spur.

Belper-born Tom Ballard was sponsored by outdoor brand Montane. The company earlier said many people had contacted them to express their concern for the athlete, and it was supporting the rescue operation.

Mr Ballard moved to the Scottish Highlands after the death of his mother, who was the first British female to summit Everest unsupported and without supplementary oxygen.

He set out to climb Nanga Parbat, the world’s ninth-highest peak, on 22 February and had reached camp four, two days later when they made their last communication from about 6,300m.

The British climber was accomplished in rock-climbing, mixed climbing and alpine ascents. He had posted a new route on the Eiger and also completed a single-winter round of six major alpine north faces.

His father Jim Ballard is also a climber.

Nanga Parbat, in the Gilgit-Baltistan area of Pakistan, has claimed the lives of numerous climbers. It was also the site of a murderous attack by the Taliban in 2013 in which 10 climbers lost their lives.