Young explorer's new record bids

Andrew Cooney said the North Pole will be more dangerous

A Nottinghamshire man who became the youngest person to walk to the South Pole wants to achieve two more world records for Britain.

Andrew Cooney made the 730-mile trek to Antarctica in January 2004, aged 23.

Dragging a 200lb sled, he had to cope with altitude sickness, an injured shoulder and snowstorms.

He now wants sponsorship for his new venture, to be the youngest person to both walk to the North Pole and to have completed a trek to both poles.

Mr Cooney, from Thurgarton, near Nottingham, also hopes to use his new record bids to raise awareness of oesophageal cancer, a disease his father Terry survived.

It's not so much about walking to a pole, it's about having a dream and not giving up Andrew Cooney

Terry Cooney said his son wanted to secure the two new records for Britain, and it was not just a personal quest.

Mr Cooney, who hopes to lead a team of around six people on the expedition provisionally set for 1 March 2006, admitted it will be a more dangerous environment than the South Pole.

He said: "It's a lot colder - it gets down to about minus 40 degrees. We're walking on frozen ice which floats on the sea so it's constantly moving and there's a danger of open water where the ice splits.

"With the wildlife, the polar bears can be very aggressive, especially if they have their young with them.

"When the ice moves we drift back a number of miles when we sleep, every day of the expedition, so the distance will be 450 miles plus the distance lost while we're sleeping."

Mr Cooney aims to complete the walk within eight weeks.