A NORTH-EAST man has been training in a freezer after being selected from hundreds of applicants to accompany a legendary polar explorer on an expedition to Antarctica.

Russell Oliver, from Billingham, near Stockton, has been spending time in a walk-in freezer at a local hotel in preparation for the trip.

On Friday he will head south to assist Robert Swan OBE - who was the first man to walk to both poles - as he tests and showcases a range of sustainable energy sources in one of the harshest environments on the planet.

The expedition, called E-Base Goes Live, is part of an initiative from Mr Swan's 2041 project and aims to showcase alternative energy sources in extreme conditions and provide a model that can be used globally and locally.

Living at the only purposebuilt education base in Antarctica (the 2041 E-Base), Mr Oliver will work with Mr Swan and a small team, broadcasting their daily experiences and promoting sustainability.

He was given the place after entering an internal competition launched by his employer, npower.

The energy supplier is supporting 2041 and ran the competition to identify two members of staff to join the expedition.

And Mr Oliver, who works in npower's Thornaby contact centre, outshone hundreds of applicants from across the country during a rigorous selection process.

He has no previous experience of the Antarctic or the extreme cold and now faces weeks of high winds, very low temperatures and hard work.

He said: "I've seen the itinerary for the next few weeks and it's going to be pretty intense.

"I will really miss my two young sons and partner, along with the rest of my friends and family. That aspect of the mental challenge will be tough, but I will knuckle down and learn as much as I can.

"I hope to bring back information and insights that I can usefully share with my colleagues and pass on to npower customers who want to know more about energy efficiency."

As well as ensuring that he has all of the cold weather clothing and equipment that will be required, he has been spending short periods of time in the walkin freezer of the nearby Middlesbrough Thistle Hotel.

He added: "Although my time in the Thistle Hotel's freezer won't prepare me for the high winds, it should help my body get used to the extremely low Antarctic temperatures. The conversation isn't great in there, but it has certainly whetted my appetite for the challenges ahead."