England

RAF duo set course for Magnetic North Pole

An RAF team have finally begun their long trek to the Magnetic North Pole after days of delays because of severe weather.

endless delayshoping to complete a 500-mile trek across the arctic to the North Pole by skiing, swimming and walking have switched objectives because of delays due to bad weather.

Matt Stowers and Jules Weekes had to abandon their original mission to walk, ski and swim nearly five hundred miles across the arctic to the true North Pole because the delays made it impossible.

They have now left for the Magnetic North Pole - a mere 400 mile trek that shoudl take abouit 30 days.

In their blog the pair say: "So we have started, not to where we had planned but now to the Magnetic North Pole. We have given ourselves 32 days to ski the distance, and these first few days will see us ski away from our destination. Also having done nothing for nearly two weeks, we will take these first few days steady.

"Thank you for all the messages of support over the last few days they have been very appreciated. So different journey but still a challenge - as I write this the tent is being battered by a strong wind. Just our luck!"

British Forces News has been charting preparations for their arctic adventure.

The North Pole is seen as the Everest of Polar expeditions but regarded as ten times as dangerous. Surrounded by sea ice and in total darkness for half the year, it is an area of the Earth only reachable during a short ‘time window’ - March to May.