Pen Hadow is waiting for a flight to the mainland

The 41-year-old explorer, who lives on Dartmoor, Devon, reached the geographic North Pole on 19 May after a 478-mile trek, becoming the first person to reach it unsupported from Canada.

But he became stranded on the floating, unstable ice as harsh weather prevented rescue teams from reaching him.

Mr Hadow was eventually airlifted off the ice on Tuesday by a Canadian rescue team and his wife Mary said he was waiting to see if he could get a flight to the Canadian mainland on Wednesday.

She said he is not expected back in the UK until Friday at the earliest.

I feel I've been in the most extraordinary dream for the past two-and-a-half weeks Mary Hadow In pictures: Pen Hadow's trek

Mary Hadow said she burst into tears when she managed to speak to her husband after his rescue.

""The first thing I knew was the phone rang and he said: 'Hello it's me. Are you all right?'

"I felt that, mentally, he's firing on all cylinders and supremely cheerful. He's had time to have a jolly good think. Physically, I think he must be exhausted.

"I've just been overwhelmed by the whole world's interest. I feel I've been in the most extraordinary dream for the past two-and-a-half weeks."

'A bit stupid'

Mr Hadow had been waiting in temperatures of down to -10C (14F) and living on half rations of nuts, chocolate and dried fruit.

And Mary Hadow said her husband planned to enjoy a meal of toad-in-the-hole and spotted dick on his return

But it was not all plaudits for Mr Hadow.

A member of the rescue organisation that airlifted him to safety criticised the explorer for endangering his colleagues.

Steve Penikett, of Calgary-based Kenn Borek Air, said it was "a bit stupid" to go to the Pole at this time of year and that "people's lives were put at risk".

"Landing on the North Pole at this time of year is not the brightest thing people can do because of the weather and ice conditions," he said.

"The ice is breaking up, which makes it very difficult to find somewhere to land.

"The issue was not that Mr Hadow was going to run out of rations, but that people were at risk - the ice breaks and it shouldn't really happen."

Mrs Hadow said she did not think he had been a particular risk while stranded at the North Pole.

"A lot of people who go all the way are there at the end of May," she said.

"This is a week earlier than they usually get there."

She said of the pilots who picked her husband up from the North Pole: "I think they are so experienced.

"They're doing this all the time and I don't think they would take unnecessary risks.

"It is their job but I think they are definitely the heroes along with Pen."