A SUSSEX woman has made history by becoming one of the first women from Britain to reach the South Pole on foot.

Catharine Hartley, 34, is today relaxing after her

700-mile trek through temperatures as low as -48C.

The stage manager from Chidham, near Chichester, had to overcome a severe attack of frostbite and a fall into a deep ravine during the two-month journey.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has sent Catharine, the only member of the nine-strong team with no previous experience of polar exploration, a congratulatory note.

Resting at the Antarctic base camp this morning, an exhausted Catharine said: ""This has been an immense struggle every day and I am just so happy to be here.

"We will be picked up by plane in the morning and flown back to the American base camp at Patriot Hills.

"To be quite honest, I am just looking forward to having a couple of days off."

The team reached the Pole at 9.45pm UK time last night and Catharine is due back in Britain during the next week.

Her mother Mary, today celebrating with family members at her home in Chidham Lane, spoke of her relief at her daughter completing the journey safely.

She said: "This is wonderful. It's the first time she's done anything like this and two months is a long time without her.

"I've kept myself occupied, but I've been terribly worried at times. When the weather was really bad here over Christmas it made me wonder what it must be like for her."

She added: "The guides on the trip said the conditions have been some of the worst they've seen.

"But it has been her dream to do something like this for years and I'm delighted she has achieved it. I'm looking forward to seeing her again."

At some stages, it seemed Catharine would have to pull out and be airlifted home.

She suffered severe frostbite to one hand and had to be hoisted out of a deep ravine by a fellow expedition member after a nasty fall.

During the trek, each member of the team pulled a sledge weighing 150lb and used skis with special skins allowing them to grip ice and snow.

They walked for between eight and 14 hours a day.

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