A Bradford grandmother was today keeping her fingers crossed that her daughter walked into the record books.

Allerton grandmother Kathleen Hardacre was looking after seven-year-old triplets Lucy, Rachel and Joseph as their mum Ann Daniels set off to conquer the North Pole.

Bradford-born Ann, pictured right, with Caroline Hamilton, pictured left, and Pom Oliver set off on to become the first all women team to make the historic journey to the North Pole after they were held up by blizzards in Resolute Bay in northern Canada for 36 hours.

Last night they successfully made the four-hour flight to the Ward Hunt Island start point for their 500 mile trek to the North Pole.

The expedition, backed by M&G Investments was put together by 37-year-old single mother Ms Daniels, who hails from Allerton and now lives in Whimple, Devon. Her triplets will be following news of the 60 day trek via the Internet.

The women are each pulling a sledge packed with 250lbs of food and equipment across the constantly moving ice-pack.

The expedition's patron is the Prince of Wales, who personally wished them "bon voyage" when they visited him before they left.

The three women have been part of two other successful all women expeditions to the North and South Poles.

They were members of a five-woman M&G-backed expedition which reached the South Pole in January, 2000 - covering 600 miles in 61 days. In 1997, they were in a 20-strong all woman expedition which reached the North Pole in relays - a 600-mile marathon which was a first for an all woman team.

Ms Hamilton, 35, from central London, and Ms Oliver, 50, from Sussex, were on the last leg of the relay which reached the North Pole.

Ms Daniels, who was on the first leg, cheated death when she plunged through the pack ice into freezing water just 12 days after setting out. But she also reached the North Pole last year - as Britain's first female Polar guide - when she led eight men to the top of the world.

The new expedition is the first time the three women have attempted to battle the whole way to the North Pole together.