It is the ultimate all-terrain vehicle and has succeeded in following a route that many others have attempted and failed, including the famed explorer Ranulph Fiennes and teams sponsored by major car manufacturers. It was the very last 'land' route on earth to be crossed in a land-based motor vehicle and, as such, was the missing link of all previous attempts to 'drive' around the world.

During the two day drive across the Strait, expedition leader Steve Brooks and co-driver Graham Stratford had to contend with ice floes capable of crushing Snowbird 6 completely flat as well as jagged ice 'rubble' and near-vertical gradients up iceburgs.

Reaching the starting point at Wales in Alaska was a major achievement in itself at the season when temperatures of -50º leave the Bering Strait at its most frozen. The journey is normally only possible via dogsled or lightweight snowmobile.

Snowbird 6 had to cross 10 miles of the frozen Port Clarence Sea, negotiate a 4,000ft mountain pass, drive up a frozen river to the cheerfully named No Hope Pass and cross over Heart Break Ridge to reach Wales.

The first part of the journey had been easier, as the Hereford UK-based Snowbird 6 was first secured to a 40ft flat rack belonging to sponsor Canada Maritime. Transported to Thamesport, the vehicle was loaded onto the Canmar Honour for the voyage to Montreal then taken by rail to Vancouver and on to Alaska.

MJ Information No: 17171