Dom Mee was forced to abandon his Arctic expedition

Don Mee, 32, from West Buckland, near Wellington in Somerset, was attacked by a musk ox during his solo attempt to retrace the1831 route of Victorian adventurer Sir John Ross through the Northwest Passage.

The former Marine, who travelled in a collapsible rubber kayak, had to trek across mountains carrying his supplies with four broken ribs after he called off his 900-mile mission just 35 miles short of his target.

On Friday, Mr Mee displayed some of the artefacts from Sir John Ross's doomed ship The Victory, which were given to him by Inuit settlers.

Marathon trek

Speaking at a presentation to members of the maritime community, Mr Mee showed off iron items, including a spanner head and part of the steam engine of The Victory, thought to have been stripped from the vessel before it sank.

Mr Mee told the London audience that he never ignored his sixth sense during the dangerous trip.

"I believe that was what kept me alive - that and my pump action shotgun.

"I am really proud to be here today and to have completed this task - I am very pleased for the team effort behind the expedition, I couldn't do it without them."

Mr Mee did manage to reach the North Magnetic Pole of 1831 - the first successful expedition to reach it for 170 years - during his marathon trek in September.

But a build-up of ice in an inlet made it impossible for him to continue without risking his life or that of any potential rescuers, and he was forced to give up his attempt.

The artefacts are to be presented to an undisclosed museum in the New Year.