THE daughter of Box explorer David Hempleman-Adams will be attempting to become the youngest person ever to reach the South Pole later this month.

Amelia Hempleman-Adams, 16, who attends Prior Park College, Bath, will be setting off on the expedition next Friday, when she will fly to Chile before moving to the Union Glacier camp in the Antarctic.

Her trip to the South Pole, starting at the point explorer Ernest Shackleton was forced to turn back in January 1909, will take around 14 days, with Amelia and her father skiing the 97 miles.

Last week Amelia was presented with a Shackleton coin by the explorer’s granddaughter Alexandra Shackleton at an event in Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace.

Amelia said: “It is a wonderful honour to take this special commemorative Shackleton medal and Alexandra’s favourite photograph of her grandfather.

“We will keep the coin and photo in a special place in the tent and it will be very moving when we arrive with them at the pole as finally part of Shackleton will have achieved his goal.”

Mr Hempelman-Adams, who has taken his older daughters Alicia, 21, and Camilla, 19, on previous expeditions, was the first Briton to reach the South Pole solo and unsupported in January 1996.

He said: “Amelia spends a lot of time studying, as her sisters did.

“We wrap teenagers up in cotton wool these days and put a lot of pressure on them to get good grades.

“I’d like to think that this expedition will teach her more about the real world and give her a truly unique experience.”

During the trip Amelia will be taking some of her school work with her to do in the tent to make sure she doesn’t fall behind.

She said: “My school has been very supportive and I’ll be planting my school flag when we get to the South Pole along with a Union Jack.

“It will be a very emotional experience and we will also phone Alexandra to let her know we got there safely with the coin and her grandfather’s photograph.”

Amelia and her father intend to return to England on Sunday, December 11.