Blizzard halts ice cap record bid

Blizzards forced Katie-Jane and her partner to abandon their challenge

A south west adventurer and her partner have abandoned an attempt to become the first people to cross the world's third largest ice cap without using a kite.

Blizzards at the Southern Patagonian ice cap, in Chile, last week badly damaged the tent used by Katie-Jane Cooper and Tarka L'Herpiniere.

Ms Cooper, 29, from Clayhidon, north Devon, and French-born Mr L'Herpiniere were 31 days into their 224-mile trek.

The pair are currently making their way off the ice unaided.

Unlike some explorers who operate snow kites to help traverse icy terrain, Ms Cooper and Mr L'Herpiniere were using a combination of skiing, walking and mountaineering to negotiate the crossing from north to south.

'Frost nip'

The ice cap - the third biggest extension of continental ice after Antarctica and Greenland - is located at the Southern Patagonic Andes, between Argentina and Chile.

A spokeswoman for the couple, whose expedition is called Rivers of Ice, said: "Katie-Jane and Tarka are making their way down the glacier and the appropriate services are on standby.

They remain positive, have assessed the situation and are confident in their abilities to deal with the situation Rivers of Ice spokeswoman

"They were waiting to cross a technical part of the ice cap, which can only be done in very good visibility, when there was a severe storm which badly damaged their tent.

"They spent the first night on the ice and identified the best route to get off the ice cap and started to make their way down.

"However, the bad weather has continued and so they have spent three nights out there on the ice cap, making a shelter each night using the remains of their tent and digging an ice hole."

The pair are currently waiting for the weather to improve before they can complete the final 6km (3.7 miles) off the ice and will then make their way to the water where a boat will collect them.

The spokeswoman added: "Tarka has very early stage frost nip to his toes and Katie-Jane's eyes are sore as a result of her goggles being damaged.

"However, they remain positive, have assessed the situation and are confident in their abilities to deal with the situation."