Two adventurers South West England are 40 miles from setting Polar trekking records.

Businessman Simon Murray, 63, who lives near Bath, and 43-year-old Pen Hadow, from Hexworthy, Dartmoor, expect to reach the Geographic South pole early on Thursday morning.

They began their unsupported 680-mile trek on December 2.

Murray is bidding to become the oldest person by 10 years to complete the route on foot.

Polar veteran Hadow is bidding to become the first person to trek unsupported to both North and South Geographic Poles.

Last spring, Hadow became the first person to trek alone and without re-supply from the North American continent to the North Geographic Pole.

Their Tetley South Pole Mission is aimed at raising cash for the Royal Geographic Society and already £220,000 has been donated.

The Society is improving the storage of its Polar heritage collection including photographs, documents and maps - and putting them on line for easy access by students and academics worldwide.

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