INTREPID explorer and veteran of polar adventures, David Hempleman-Adams, has returned from his latest challenge.

David was born in Swindon and is now the High Sheriff of Wiltshire and there are few corners of the globe that he has not ventured to.

His latest effort, the Polar Ocean Challenge, involved a team of sailors circumnavigating the Arctic through bodies of water that, not so long ago, would have been impassable due to ice.

The mission was designed to highlight the pace and impact of climate change and the significant effect it is having on the polar ice cap.

The crew set off from Bristol in June and arrived back on Thursday to a hero’s welcome.

David said: “That would normally take two seasons to get through, the North West passage is the same, normally two seasons.

“We were trying to do both the North East and North West passages in a single season which would previously have been impossible – but with the change in the ice over the years we thought we might be able to do it.”

Although the crew did encounter ice as expected on the North East side, they found the North West side to be completely clear of ice.

“It was shocking, there was no ice whatsoever,” David said.

“The first time I went up to the Arctic was 1982, I’ve probably been up there every single year since.

“I’ve seen a massive change in that time – it has a significant impact on the cultures and the Inuit communities up there but this change will have a change on everyone around the world within ten years.

“We’re looking at a situation where there is no ice at the North Pole during the summer within 20 years – that will cause radical changes in our weather.”

The team will now turn their focus to educating young people about the pace of climate change through the new educational tool named Wicked Weather Watch.

is a new educational tool set up as part of the project, designed to move the discussion about the disappearance of the ice into schools and beyond.