Admiral praises Arctic walk duo

Two members of the original team dropped out

Two Royal Marines who became the first Britons to walk unsupported to the North Pole have been praised by the expedition's patron, the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Michael Boyce.

I am immensely proud of them

Admiral Sir Michael Boyce

Alan Chambers and Charlie Paton reached the end of their 70-day trek to the pole early on Wednesday morning, becoming only the third team in the world to reach the geographic North Pole without resupply.

The marines suffered numerous setbacks and hardships during their journey including a tent fire and one of their members twice falling into freezing water.

But Sir Michael said he had been following their progress and had been "amazed and inspired by their determination and cheerfulness under extremely difficult conditions".

Describing their achievement as a testament to their Royal Marines training, he added: "I am immensely proud of them, and wish them a safe and speedy recovery to Resolute Bay and then home to their loved ones."

Frostbite

Earlier Royal Marines spokesman Major George Matthews said: "We are very proud of them. They've shown a lot of the qualities we endorse and try to instil in our young recruits and they've notched up another first for Britain."

Elated: Corporal Alan Chambers

The adventurers were being flown from the Pole on Wednesday morning after completing their historic 700-mile trek at 0147BST.

They are expected to fly into the Team Polar 2000 base at Resolute Bay, northern Canada on Wednesday night.

The original four-man team was reduced to two after Corporal Jason Garland suffered exhaustion and Corporal Paul Jones pulled out with frostbite.

Their journey began in 24-hour darkness and ended in permanent daylight. They walked in temperatures as low as -55C.

As they neared their goal the pair were forced to ration their food severely, and actually ran out a day before reaching the pole.

Drained but elated

Their retrieval was almost delayed when a plane carrying five American tourists landed at the Pole on Tuesday and was unable to take off, leaving the tourists stranded on the ice.

But in the end their plane managed to land just after the British pair arrived.

The men are physically drained but elated at their achievement.

Among supplies being taken to them are several large pizzas and chocolate bars, as well as a scanned photo of Cpl Chambers' unborn child.