POLAR bear encounters and temperatures that drop to minus 50C are just some of the challenges that face Caunsall's Karen Harper.

The 39-year-old sports therapist will be making her way across the Arctic to the North Pole, in aid of charity.

With her team-mate, Stefan Hopkins, from Cheltenham, who she met for the first time two weeks ago, Miss Harper will walk 320 miles, pulling a 120lb sledge called a pulk for The Polar Challenge.

Miss Harper, who lives with her partner, Niall Hebron, in New Road, expects to complete the race in two weeks, averaging 30 miles, which will take around 14 to 16 hours, each day.

As part of her training, she has been dragging a tyre filled with bricks for 20 miles, four or five times a week, as well as making several visits to the gym and cross-country skiing.

She recently returned from a preparation week in Austria, where she learned how to pull the pulks, received ski training and was taught polar bear survival techniques.

Miss Harper said: "I've got the job of shouting at the bear and banging my skis together. They tell me it will run off but I'm not convinced. I'm a bit apprehensive about the bears but I'll be disappointed if I don't see one."

The challenge begins on Wednesday, April 5 and Miss Harper, who works at Stourbridge Squash and Tennis Club, said: "I'm really looking forward to it. I think standing at the North Pole will be amazing. Only one per cent of the world's population has ever been there."

Two years ago, Miss Harper had her knee rebuilt after snapping her cruciate ligament during a game of racquetball and was also caught up in the Boxing Day tsunami while in the Maldives.

She overcame all of that to take part in last year's London Marathon, raising £4,000 in sponsorship for the Starlight Children's Foundation, a charity, which grants wishes to terminally ill children.

Miss Harper hopes to raise £10,000 for the same charity with her polar trek and help to fulfil four children's dreams.

Her fees to take part in the challenge have been paid by the company, Reality Expansion, so that all her sponsorship money can go to the charity.

She said: "It is only a small charity but they bring a lot of happiness to these children and it brings a bit of happiness to their parents to see them enjoying themselves."

To sponsor her, contact her on 07970 881838 or e-mail karenharper60@hot

mail.com

For details, visit www.starlight.org.uk and to follow Miss Harper's visit log onto www.polar-challenge.com