Ann Daniels is hoping to complete the trek in 60 days

Ann Daniels, 40, was forced by bureaucratic hold-ups to delay setting off on her 636-mile trek.

Her communications manager received the first signal from her tracking device, indicating she was on the ice at Cape Arktichevsky, at 0730 GMT on Saturday.

She now has until 10 May to complete her trek.

Ms Daniels originally had until 28 April , when the ice starts to break up, but because of the bureaucratic delays the Russian Cerpolex helicopter service has promised her 60 days on the ice and to pick her up on about 10 May.

If I was not 100% sure I knew how to deal with the Arctic Ocean I would not be going Ann Daniels

Her later finishing date means she will come across more open water but this should not make the challenge any more hazardous, her Dartmoor-based communications manager Ian Wesley said.

Mr Wesley said: "She is excited that it is finally happening and that she can go out and prove herself and do what she does."

Between her and the Pole are ice ridges up to 30 feet high, the perils of thin ice, open stretches of freezing ocean and temperatures of -50C

She is even carrying a .44 Magnum handgun in case she comes face to face with a polar bear.

If she comes across "leads" of open water during her trek which she cannot walk around, she will put on an orange immersion suit and swim across with her canoe-shaped sledge.

Dumping supplies

She tested out the immersion suit in the family swimming pool before leaving for Siberia.

Having lost valuable time, she has decided to lighten her 250lb sledge by dumping supplies to enable her to make faster progress.

She will now have about 66lbs of extra food dropped by helicopter around halfway through her journey thanks to other Polar adventurers.

Following her progress at home in Whimple, near Exeter, are 10-year-old triplets Joseph, Lucy and Rachel from a former marriage, and her 22-month-old daughter Sarah with partner Tom O'Connor.

A veteran of a number of Polar expeditions, Ms Daniels was, with London-based film financier Caroline Hamilton, the first woman to reach both North and South Poles.

This is my profession, this is what I do, and it allows me to go away for two months then have three years constantly with my children Ms Daniels

The last woman to try to reach the Pole solo was French-Finnish adventurer Dominick Arduin in 2004, who died in the attempt when the ice broke up in a storm.

Only two men have made the solo unsupported trip - Norwegian Borge Ousland from Russia in the early 1990s, and Briton Pen Hadow from the Canadian side in 2003.

Ms Daniels, Britain's only female Polar guide, explained why she was able to take on the challenge while leaving a young family at home.

Speaking before she left she said: "This is my profession, this is what I do, and it allows me to go away for two months then have three years constantly with my children.

"While I am away they have full support from family and are covered from a loving point of view.

"As far as the danger is concerned, I take people out and guide them and their lives are in my hands.

"If I was not 100% sure I knew how to deal with the Arctic Ocean I would not be going."