Fiennes admits polar defeat

Sir Ranulph Fiennes last night announced he was giving up his Antarctic expedition. The explorer had been hoping to return to continue his bid to become the first man to walk solo across the Antarctic after being forced to seek hospital treatment in Chile for painful kidney stones.

Last night he said: "This was an enormously vital dream to me," he said. "To have something like this happen on an expedition which is looking like an overwhelming success is a kick in the teeth."