Pen Hadow aims to break another Polar record

Explorer Pen Hadow, 41, aims to be the first Briton to trek to both the geographic North and South Poles totally unsupported.

His companion, 63-year-old entrepreneur Simon Murray, is the oldest person ever to tackle the trek.

The pair, who are raising money for a �7.2m the Royal Geographical Society will celebrate New Year's Eve with a cup of tea.

We are enjoying the challenge of the trek but it is fair to say that our greatest concern is the risk of crevasses, which could make or break the expedition Pen Hadow

Mr Hadow, who lives in Hexworthy on Dartmoor and Hong Kong-based Mr Murray set off on 2 December on the 731-mile (1,170 kilometre) journey from Hercules Inlet, on the edge of the Antarctic continent.

They said they would bring in the New Year with a flask of tea because alcohol freezes at sub-zero temperatures.

They will also enjoy a meal of beef risotto and say they will sing Auld Lang Syne.

'Crevass risk'

The pair started at sea level and are now at 3,780 ft with another 6,000ft to climb to the South Geographic Pole.

They are now within sight of the halfway stage.

"This trek is uphill all the way and the weather is expected to deteriorate as the altitude increases on the inhospitable polar plateau", said Mr Hadow.

"We are enjoying the challenge of the trek but it is fair to say that our greatest concern is the risk of crevasses, which could make or break the expedition."

Mr Hadow and former Foreign Legionnaire Mr Murray are pulling sledges laden with 275lb of food and supplies.

The money raised from the trek will help restore, display in environmentally controlled conditions, and digitally catalogue the RGS archive in transformed buildings in London.