A PENSIONER'S childhood dream to reach the magnetic North Pole has been ended by gruelling Arctic conditions and equipment failure.

Former Worcester man David Vale, 65, cut short his 350-mile attempt after being hampered by a series of setbacks including a broken ski and tent pole and mild frostbite.

The Worcester Warriors fan, now living in France, was said to be "dispirited" after ending the attempt, according to his wife Diane.

She said: "He is very down about it all and it is such a disappointment for him.

"Hopefully he will recognise he's made a huge achievement and got himself as fit as I have seen him in 25 years."

Camping on the arctic tundra in temperatures down as low as -35C (-31F), Mr Vale and team mate Graham Walters - The Silver Foxes - started out from base camp with other Polar Challenge competitors, on April 21.

Mr Vale had spent weeks training for the effort even tackling a week-long exercise in Norway.

The two-man team, each dragging 50 kilos (110lbs) of kit behind them on a special pulk sledge and often trekking through blizzards, spent between four and five days just getting to the start line.

After travelling more than 110 miles (177 kilometres) and hindered by broken equipment and frostbite, the adventurers were forced to pull out after dropping off the pace set by other teams.

Mr Vale and Mr Graham also had a brush with a polar bear while camped overnight, discovering paw prints in snow close to their tent.

The pensioner was due to fly from the Arctic to Canada, tomorrow, where he will catch a plane to England, arriving home in France by the weekend.

The pensioner was brought up in Worcester but moved away in the 1960s, serving with the Army and later the United Nations.