Delight for Army's Polar Preet after reaching the 'incredible' South Pole

British Army officer Captain Preet Chandi has made it to the South Pole.

Capt Chandi, also known as Polar Preet has had to battle tough temperatures of up to -50c and wind speeds of around 60mph on her quest to become the first woman to cross the continent alone with nothing but a 120kg pulk (a sledge used to carry equipment across the snow).

She tweeted her delight at reaching the "incredible place", but she could not stay long as she still has a big journey to go.

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Capt Chandi posted in her latest update: "Day 57. I made it to the South Pole, an incredible place to be!

"Didn't stay long as I still have a big journey to go. I've been skiing 13-15 hours a day, averaging 5 hours sleep & not getting the mileage I want with the tough conditions."

The adventurer who spent her second Christmas in a tent surrounded by snow and ice has a cut-off date to finish the challenge of around 22 January.

"I could have finished at the South Pole but I thought about all the reasons I wanted to do this journey and wanting others to push their boundaries, she added.

"So I'll continue to push mine and do as much as I can in the time I have left."

Polar Preet will now head down and navigate Reedy Glacier.

Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions, which supervises all Antarctic expeditions, leaves at the end of January, and she would run out of food and fuel if she is not finished by then.

"If I haven't made it by then, I'd have to abandon the attempt," she said.

From the South Pole to the base of the Reedy Glacier is roughly 354 nautical miles (655km).

Of this, about 75 nautical miles (140km) are on the glacier, which climbs from about 763m to 2,931m.

Descending Reedy Glacier will be a first for Captain Chandi who is eating 5,000 calories a day to keep her going during the expedition.

This is not her first Antarctic mission, in January 2022 she became the first woman of colour to cross Antarctica unsupported, which she completed in 40 days, just short of the female world record.