Determined Alex Hibbert is preparing to lead a team of four in a historic skiing expedition to the South Pole.

Mr Hibbert, 21, a student at Oxford University, will be joined by Richard Smith, 36, Adam Griffiths, 24, and Andy Wilkinson, 31, on the 1,000-mile journey in October.

The Journey South 2007 team plans to ski unassisted from the Antarctic coast at Halley to the Geographic South Pole in the first unsupported 1,000-mile route in history.

Mr Hibbert said: "The key to this expedition is the purity - no wind-powered kites, no motors, no skidoos, no re-supplies - nothing but the four of us.

"We aim to break the mould and drive the Great British tradition of polar endeavour forward.

"We hope to inspire others to go after their their own dreams, no matter how distant or impossible they may seem at first.

"We are heading a major fundraising campaign for Cancer Research UK and Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres, a cause which is very personal to the team members."

Mr Smith was diagnosed with testicular cancer in August 2000 and went on to receive surgery and chemotherapy. In September 2005, he was found to have developed cancer in his remaining testicle, and needed further surgery.

Mr Smith hopes to raise awareness of testicular cancer by taking part in the expedition and to raise a substantial amount for Cancer Research UK.

Mr Hibbert, who is climbing in the Alps to prepare for the expedition, added: "We feel true satisfaction from reaching the South Pole will be best experienced by getting back to the grass roots of those early pioneers.

"This means going by foot without the assistance of wind power, vehicle or air supply. We will use only basic, common sense technology such as emergency transmitters.

"By getting back to the 'bread and butter' of man-hauling all equipment needed, without the need for resupply, in some small way we aim to capture the essence of what it may have been like to be part of the great polar expeditions of the last century."

Mr Hibbert added that, by choosing a totally new route, the team would not be following in the footsteps of others.

Mr Smith and Mr Griffiths are Royal Marine Commandos and all four have previous experience of cold weather, in Iceland, Norway and numerous climbing expeditions to the Himalayas, Alps and South America.

Mr Griffiths has also scaled Mount Everest.

Mr Hibbert said if the expedition got into trouble they would radio for air support and lose their unsupported status, before trying to push on to the Pole.

Journey South 2007 is officially launched at the Bodleian Divinity Schools in Oxford on Wednesday. For details visit www.journeysouth2007.com