Pen Hadow has now walked unsupported to both Poles

Simon Murray, 63, from Bath, and Pen Hadow, from Dartmoor, ended their unsupported expedition on Wednesday.

They have set two records: Mr Murray is the oldest person to make this journey and Mr Hadow, 41, is the first British explorer to trek unsupported to both Poles without being re-supplied.

The 680-mile trek has so far raised around �250,000 for the Royal Geographical Society.

Sense of achievement

During the trip, which started last December, they have battled ice ridges, a broken sledge and temperatures as low as -35C.

Simon Murray said: "It's not exactly my idea of a winter holiday but there is a strong sense of achievement arriving here.

"The visual deprivation has been extreme, with nothing at all to focus on for two months except miles of featureless white landscape."

The journey took the pair from Hercules Inlet on the continental edge of Antarctica to the South Geographic Pole, which they reached just before midnight.