Explorer reveals Arctic quadruple

Mr McNeill reached the geomagnetic north pole in 2004

An explorer has announced plans to become the first person to reach all four north poles in one season.

Berkshire fireman Jim McNeill led a team of five Arctic novices to the geomagnetic north pole last year.

He then planned to vist the magnetic, geomagnetic, and geographic poles over the next two years, with volunteers recruited via newspaper adverts.

But he has now decided to travel to all four poles in the same season. The expedition will start in February 2006.

The Geographic pole is the top of the axis on which the earth spins, the Magnetic pole is where the compass points to, and the Arctic pole is the point on the Arctic Ocean furthest from any land.

The Geomagnetic pole is the north end of the axis of the geomagnetic field which surrounds the Earth and extends into space as the magnetosphere.

They are all hundreds of miles apart.