Dee Caffari is set to face huge storms over the next 24 hours

Dee Caffari, 32, a former Southampton teacher, still has just under 11,000 miles (17,702km) to sail against the prevailing winds and currents.

But weather forecasters are predicting strong winds and giant waves in the Southern Ocean, south of Australia, will face Ms Caffari and yacht Aviva.

Ms Caffari, from Gosport, Hampshire, set off on the challenge in November.

'Big panic'

Over the weekend, the former PE teacher suffered bruising after a climb up her mast to fix her wind instruments.

The yachtswoman said she took a "beating" when she got stuck halfway up.

"It was just before it was getting dark so the light was fading. I did have a big panic, but I just kept working at it and working at it," she said.

"It wasn't until I got all the gear away and back down below that I actually got affected by it and I was really panicking and cried about it afterwards."

If the trip goes to plan, Ms Caffari should finish off in Portsmouth sometime in May.