Teacher triumphs in Pole trek

5:22am Wednesday 7th May 2008

A primary school head teacher is celebrating after winning one of the toughest adventure challenges on the planet.

Angus King, 53, and team-mates Jamie Wood and Paul Moxham, skied 350 miles across the frozen Arctic Ocean while pulling a 100lb sledge to win the 2008 Polar Challenge.

Speaking from the top of the world after beating eight other teams to the finish line at the magnetic North Pole, the Thorn-bury Primary School head said: "We are fantastically happy to be here. It's lovely not having to walk today, tomorrow or any other day!

"I want to say thank you to everyone, particularly all those people who have sent e-mails to us.

"The other thing is a message to Thornbury Primary School: your banner has arrived at the finish line, photos should arrive tomorrow! I can't wait to get home and see the family and everyone else."

Mr King's team, named the Polar Warriors, took 14 days to travel from Little Cornwallis Island in northern Canada to the North Pole - stopping at three manned checkpoints en route to re-supply.

The finish line is 25 miles beyond the third checkpoint, near a disused airstrip where planes are able to land.

However, the Polar Warriors' epic journey did not pass without incident. The trio struggled to cross the frozen wastes of the desolate and hilly Bathurst Island, were forced to climb over large waves frozen by the extreme temperatures, and had to pull Mr Wood, a North-umberland farmer, from slushy water.

Temperatures also proved challenging, dropping as low as -32C.

Polar Challenge spokesman Jennifer Askquith-Ellis said: "The team celebrated at the Magnetic North Pole and then moved on to win the race. All are exhausted but very happy at being the official winners."

Pupils 3,000 miles away at Thornbury Primary have been following their head's progress online. Mr King hopes his adventure will raise around £10,000 for his own charity which raises funds for education projects in Pakistan and South Africa.

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