Ex-GB para athlete halfway through South Pole trek

A former Team GB para athlete is more than halfway through a solo skiing expedition to the South Pole.

Jonny Huntington, from Kingsbridge, Devon, has battled against extreme conditions, including 24-hour sunlight, while trekking 911km (566 miles) across the Antarctic.

The 38-year-old, who suffered a stroke in 2014 and has significant lack of movement or control on his left-hand side, is aiming to become the first disabled person to complete the challenge.

Mr Huntington, a former army officer, said he had been skiing for up to 11 hours a day to cover between 18 and 23km (11 and 14 miles) per day and he hoped to reach the South Pole by 7 January.

Mr Huntington, who joined the GB Para Nordic ski team following his stroke, has been dragging all his equipment and food in a sled which weighs more than 110kg (17.3st) during the challenge.

He said one of the more peculiar aspects of the trek for him had been the lack of wildlife or plant life along the way.

"It looks sort of like one of the desert scenes from a post-apocalyptic movie, like Mad Max or something," Mr Huntington said.

"I have gone weeks without seeing a single even feature in the landscape, which is pretty cool in a lot of ways."

He added his plans for Christmas Day involved speaking to his family and making an extra strong cup of coffee.

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