A long distance swimmer is ditching his trunks to kayak his way to the North Pole in order to make people more aware of the effects of climate change.

He says no-one's tried to paddle to the pole before because it's usually frozen over. But scientists reckon this year an ice-free route could open up.

He hopes his 745 mile trip will show the effect rising temperatures have had on the environment.

Lewis Pugh is famous for things like swimming in the Arctic.

"There's one side of me that desperately wants to get to the North Pole to be able to shake the lapels of world leaders to get them to understand what has happened there," he said.

"But then there's the other side of me that says I really hope I don't get there. I hope I fail because if I am able to get there we really are in deep trouble."