HMS Chatham joined Ms Caffari in the Bay of Biscay

Dee Caffari, 32, a former teacher from Gosport, Hampshire, started her voyage last November.

She is hoping to become the first woman to sail solo "the wrong way" around the world and without stopping.

With only a few hundred miles to go, Ms Caffari has suffered an auto pilot failure and will have to steer her boat at all times.

After 28,000 miles (45,060 km) and 175 days at sea, she is set to finish off the Cornish coast on Thursday at 0900 BST.

The sailor is then set to make her way to Southampton to meet friends and family.

Turning circles

The auto pilot failure on board her yacht, Aviva Challenge, will mean her sleep will be more rationed.

But Ms Caffari said: "I didn't flap at all even with Aviva turning circles in 30 knots of wind last night. I held it together.

"Instead I sat on deck considering the last few days and how they might be endured."

Royal Navy Frigate HMS Chatham joined her this week as she headed north in the Bay of Biscay.

On her return Ms Caffari said she is looking forward to "supermarket shopping and having other people involved in my life everyday".

Sir Chay Blyth was the first person to sail the route in 1971 and has been supporting Ms Caffari throughout her journey.