Briton breaks days-old record to reach Pole

A scout leader aged 23 became the youngest person to trek to the South Pole last night.

Andrew Cooney telephoned his parents near Nottingham at 7.59pm to say he had completed the 730-mile journey, which took three weeks. He also becomes the youngest Briton to trek to the pole, a record broken only last Saturday by Tom Avery, who is 27.

Mr Cooney, who pulled a 200lb sled in a team of six, faced temperatures of minus 52C and "white-out" snowstorm since setting out on 11 November. He overcame altitude sickness and a shoulder injury after slipping on the ice.

Speaking after his son's call, Mr Cooney's father, Terry, said: "We're very proud of him and his achievement. I think it will take quite a while for it to sink in ... We're absolutely thrilled that he has made it." His mother, Marilyn, added: "It's been quite a struggle but I'm really pleased he has finally arrived. Now I'm just looking forward to him coming home."

Mr Cooney could not have claimed a place in the record books without the experience of his crew, which included another Britain, two Spaniards and their leaders, Matty McNair, who led the first women's expedition to the Geographic North Pole, and Devon McDiarmid, her assistant guide.

Mr Cooney's achievement will come as a disappointment to Mr Avery, who works for a ski company. He completed the journey with the British centenary expedition, named in honour of Captain Robert Scott, who reached the pole in 1912.

Meanwhile, two British explorers will begin their attempt to break the record for crossing the Antarctic by sled, using kite-powered buggies.

Jamie Young, 50, and Brian Cunningham, 59, from Co Antrim in Northern Ireland, hope to make the journey from the South Pole to the Patriot Hills in less than 10 days. The record, set in 1999 by the Australians Peter Treseder and Tim Jarvis, is 46 days.