AN injured soldier hopes to raise awareness of physical and mental injuries by taking part in a race across Antarctica.

Major Kate Philp, originally from Knightwick, near Worcester, has spoken of the importance of treating both types of injury as she prepares to join Prince Harry’s Team Glenfiddich for the Walking with the Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge.

The 34-year-old, who was the first female to lose a limb fighting in Afghanistan when she lost her left leg in a bomb blast in 2008, said: “I’ve talked about physical injury and challenge because that is what I have first-hand experience of, but the second reason I am honoured to be a part of Walking with the Wounded is because of the importance the charity attaches to raising awareness of those suffering from mental injury. The numbers are difficult to calculate but undoubtedly outweigh physical injuries, the treatment is not straightforward – the brain is a complex organ for which there is no mental prosthesis.

“These are invisible injuries which still seem to be a taboo topic of conversation.”

Racing against their American and Commonwealth counterparts, the team of injured British service personnel will cover 208 miles on the Antarctic plateau in November and December.

Each day they will trek between nine and 13 miles, battling through extreme weather conditions and encountering vast crevasses, moving ice-shelves, glaciers and snow storms.

Prince Harry is expedition patron of the 2013 challenge, having joined the first Walking with the Wounded fund-raising expedition to the North Pole in 2011.

He said highlighting the strength of mind needed to overcome injuries was key to his taking part.

“Walking with the Wounded continues to champion our extraordinary wounded service personnel and highlight their determination and courage to face future challenges following injury on the battlefield,” he said.

“Something that draws me back to this charity and these people time and again, and always will, is the toughness of mind and an unquenchable spirit that simply refuses to say ‘I am beaten’.”