Woman attempts youngest solo South Pole record Published duration 5 September 2019

image copyright Mike Wilkinson image caption Mollie Hughes training for her South Pole expedition

An Edinburgh adventurer bidding to become the youngest woman to ski solo to the South Pole is pledging to get a tattoo on her bottom in return for a £15,000 donation to fund her trip.

Mollie Hughes, 29, is already a record breaker as the youngest female to successfully climb both the north and south sides of Everest at age 26.

She is now preparing for a solo trek across Antarctica.

She will haul a 90kg sled on the 702-mile journey to the South Pole.

Temperatures will be around -50C.

Only six women and 17 men have successfully completed the trip she is planning without making any stops to resupply.

She has already raised £60,000 in funding for the challenge but still needs to find another £15,000 before October.

image copyright Mollie Hughes

She already has a tattoo of two kissing chickens on her right bottom cheek after conducting a similar auction to raise funds for an Everest climb.

Ms Hughes said: "I auctioned my bum back in 2011 for my Everest expedition and, while my dad wasn't best pleased, it helped me raise the money I needed.

"I'm now eight years older and eight years wiser, therefore my left bum cheek is going to be auctioned off for no less than £15,000.

"The winning bidder can have any tattoo they want on it, anything at all. This is how much I want to go to Antarctica."

She said she hoped her expedition would "help inspire women of all ages to push their comfort zones and realise what they are capable of".

Ms Hughes added: "I'm going to try to ski alone and unsupported across 702 miles of the world's largest desert.

"It's an immense physical and mental challenge but gaining sponsorship to help fund my expeditions is always the biggest hurdle I face.

"I've raised a significant amount already but I still need to raise the final £15,000 before October in order to take on this expedition and attempt to make history."

The explorer will set off from the UK in mid-November and hopes to return in early January - with plans for a speaking tour about her adventure after that.