EXPLORER David Hemple-man-Adams says he is looking forward to leading an expedition of three wounded soldiers who plan to walk in the footsteps of Captain Scott to the South Pole next month.

Mr Hempleman-Adams, who works in Swindon, will be leading Captain Adam Crookshank, from Devizes, Corporal Robbie Harmer and Lance Corporal Nick Webb of the Royal Dragoon Guards.

But Mr Hempleman-Adams, who helps run the family chemicals firm in Swindon, said he will not have to make any allowances for the three disabled servicemen, who are still serving soldiers and are well trained.

He said: “The Antarctic is a dangerous environment and people have died there, but these are three serving soldiers and, though they have been injured while serving in Afghanistan, they were well up for this trip.

“The irony is that when they are on a tour of duty in Afghanistan, there is no health and safety assessment carried out.

“To get them to take part in this expedition, they had to fill in so many forms for health and safety risk assessments.

“This is something they don’t train for. They will be taken out of their comfort zones and they have been training full-time for this trip.

“But they learn so quickly, they are like sponges. You show them something once, you never have to show them again.

“It is very humbling to hear their stories and experiences.”

Mr Hempleman-Adams went with the trio to the London home of the Prince of Wales, their regiment’s colonel-in-chief, who offered them a glass of champagne to toast the success of their upcoming trek.

The adventurers begin their four-week trek to the geographic South Pole on November 19.

They will be dragging sleds filled with food and equipment 140 miles across the ice, just as Captain Scott and his team did 100 years ago.