Ralph Baker Creswell, left, with the American Express expedition

A Northumberland man is close to ending a 158-year-old mystery surrounding an ill-fated British Arctic expedition.

Ralph Baker Creswell, 32, from Bamburgh, is a direct descendant of a Royal Navy officer who went in search of legendary explorer, Sir John Franklin from Lincolnshire.

He is one on eight adventurers who braved freezing temperatures to become the first team to successfully retrace the steps of Franklin's 19th century Arctic expedition.

The team completed an 18-day 200-mile trek to commemorate the journey of Franklin, whose bid to discover a vital sea trade route ended in tragedy.

He set off in 1845 to discover the elusive North West Passage linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans via the frozen wastes of northern Canada.

The expedition became stranded on the ice and Franklin and the 128 men with him were never to return.

Rumours of lead poisoning and cannibalism surrounded the deaths of Franklin's expedition.

The American Express Franklin Memorial Expedition team reached its destination, known as Starvation Cove, on Monday, after enduring temperatures as low as -50C (-58F).

Sir John Franklin set sail in search of the North West Passage

Mr Baker Creswell, whose ancestor, Lieutenant Samuel Gurney Creswell was on board one of the first expeditions that went in search of Franklin, said: "It's amazing to think that 150 years on, I have been making footprints in the same remote part of the world as my ancestor, having been inspired by his experience.

"This is one of the most amazing experiences of my life, only a few months ago I would only have dreamt about doing this!

"Fortunately we had the benefit of modern science - while it was a dream for us, one can only begin to imagine what it would have been like for Franklin and his men."

The team's spokesman said this was the first time the full land route of Franklin's trip had been retraced at this time of year, giving them an insight into the choices of route made in 1848.

Previous evidence has suggested that members of the Franklin team may have resorted to cannibalism as they starved in the frozen wastes.

In an earlier expedition, Franklin had resorted to eating his own shoes to head off starvation.

But mystery still surrounds his fateful, final trip and research from this expedition may give historians a better idea about what actually happened.