Brit Goes For Polar Record

A British woman set off on Saturday with the aim of becoming the first woman to trek solo and unsupported to the North Pole.

Hannah McKeand, 34, a former theatre manager from Berkshire was due to leave Ward Island on the northern coast of Canada early on Saturday morning. Pulling a 120 kg sled, she'll have to avoid polar bears, swim open areas of water and negotiate ice ridges if she's to complete the tough 478-mile trek over shifting ice to the Pole.

McKeand is already the fastest person to trek solo and unsupported to the South Pole, a feat she undertook in December 2006, and is aiming to complete the North Pole journey in 60 days.

"Although the distance is shorter than the South Pole route the expedition is much tougher." She says . "The terrain is extremely rough and the ice drifts away from the Pole, so it is rather like being on a conveyor belt and your legs cover a lot more distance than you are moving forward."

The only person ever to successfully trekked solo and unsupported from Canada to the North Pole is British polar explorer Pen Hadow who cracked the route in May 2003 on his third attempt. Since then several others have tried, but none have succeeded.

More information at Hannah's web site: www.adventurehannah.com