In a lifetime of adventure, I've never known such an experience

David Hempleman-Adams

Mr Hempleman-Adams, who is the first balloonist to fly solo across the Atlantic to the North Pole, was still said to be in high spirits and looking forward to a hot bath and a pint of beer.

Project co-ordinator Denise Bishop said that while the explorer had been frightened by his bad landing he was "over the moon" about what he had achieved.

Second drama

His final touchdown in Norway at 0536 BST signalled the second moment of drama during his 1,523 mile journey.

Phone home: A delighted Hempleman-Adams

Mid-flight, the 43-year-old adventurer found himself trying to clamber out of the basket in his sleep and was stopped only by his safety harness.

Mr Hempleman-Adams told his team: "In a lifetime of adventure, I've never known such an experience.

"If I had known what I was going to put myself through before embarking on this trip, I might have thought twice about it."

His intrepid adventure, which brought him within 12.9 miles of the geographic North Pole, smashed the British solo ballooning record of 13 hours.

Speedy return

Members of his team were also taken by surprise when the adventurer returned to the launchpad in the Arctic town of Longyearbyen at three times the speed of his outward journey.

On the way to the Pole he averaged about seven knots, but during his return journey he has managed to accelerate up to 19 knots.

He was originally expected to head back towards Greenland, Canada or even Russia to land, because the North Pole's open expanses of water made it too dangerous a landing place.

He is now said to be catching up on his sleep before returning home ot Britain on Monday.

The Britannic Challenge en route to the North Pole

The Roziere balloon, which has a traditional wicker basket, is a design similar to the Breitling Orbiter which went around the world non-stop in 1999, but is a 10th of its size.

An attempt was made to reach the North Pole by balloon in 1897 by the Swedish explorer Saloman Andree, but ended in disaster when the balloon was forced to crash land on the ice.

Mr Andree and his two crew members died after eating infected polar bear meat.

Mr Hempleman-Adams's flight is regarded by Britannic Challenger flight director Brian Jones as "the last great aeronautical adventure in the world".