A REDDITCH soldier who is part of a group aiming to become the first all-female team to ski across Antarctica has begun her historic three-month expedition.

Major Sandy Hennis and five others from the British Army’s ‘Ice Maiden’ Expedition team crossed the start line on the Ross Ice Shelf on Monday, November 20.

Team member Lance Sergeant Sophie Montagne said: “The weather was perfect and hovered at around -10C with a gentle headwind.

“We were dropped off on the Ross Ice Shelf and, after waving goodbye to the plane, we skied onto solid land to begin our epic traverse.”

The six soldiers will now use muscle power alone to ski the 1700km, whilst pulling a sledge weighing up to 80kg, battling 60mph winds and temperatures as low as -40°C.

They had originally hoped to cross the start line on Monday, November 6, but due to poor weather conditions had to wait at the Union Glacier camp until it cleared.

All of the team members, who serve in the army as regulars and reserves, were picked from 250 applicants following a training exercise in Norway, prior to final preparations.

Lieutenant Jenni Stephenson said: “I feel incredibly lucky to be part of a team of confident, aspirational and positive women.

“We’ve all sacrificed various parts of our lives to focus on the expedition but the most important part lies in its aim to inspire and encourage other people to find their own Antarctica. I hope we can go some way to achieving this.”

The expedition is expected to take between 75 to 90 days.