Dom Mee has a new round-the-world challenge planned

Dom Mee, 32, from Bath, was forced to cut short his expedition after becoming trapped by pack-ice for three days and being attacked by a musk ox.

He then endured a trek across mountains and lakes with a shotgun at his side in the event of polar bear attacks, before reaching safety.

The former Royal Marine commando was using a folding kayak to retrace the route of Victorian explorer Sir John Ross.

After a trip of around 500 nautical miles, Mr Mee reached the Inuit settlement of Talyoak on the Boothia peninsula in the early hours of Sunday, having abandoned his trek two days earlier.

I was determined to make it back to safety under my own steam, which I am glad to say I have just completed Dom Mee

At the time, he was only 35 miles from Victory Bay, where Ross's steamship was crushed by ice in 1830.

"It would have been suicide to press on in the ice conditions ahead, it would have been irresponsible and unprofessional," he said.

"I was determined to make it back to safety under my own steam, which I am glad to say I have just completed."

The explorer's voyage began on August 20. He used a 17-feet vessel, weighing 60 kilograms, to help reach the magnetic north pole of 1831.

Polar challenge

Adrian Wibrew, project manager of the expedition, said: "After escaping his ice incarceration, he had to endure the epic trek across the mountains and lakes to reach safety."

He made four mountain crossings and nearly suffered hypothermia in freezing Arctic water.

"To add to this, he was travelling through Polar bear country and had to keep alert with his 12-gauge pump action shotgun day and night," said Mr Wibrew.