A TEACHER is heading off to the glaciers of Norway as part of his training for an Antarctic expedition. The Crow has been following Ian Richardson, head of biology at Freman College, Buntingford, through rigorous exercises, which will culminate in a trip

A TEACHER is heading off to the glaciers of Norway as part of his training for an Antarctic expedition.

The Crow has been following Ian Richardson, head of biology at Freman College, Buntingford, through rigorous exercises, which will culminate in a trip to the depths of the world's most southerly continent.

Mr Richardson, who will be sailing from Newcastle to Bergen in Norway to begin his latest exercise, said: "I'm looking forward to trying out the science projects.

"We have been getting some tips and advice for the trip, and have been training to prepare for it."

The team of teachers will be testing out their Antarctic equipment, their scientific projects, and their communication systems, on Europe's highest and largest ice cap, Jostedalsbreem.

They will be working through their safety procedures on crevasse recognition and rescue, and all of this in preparation for the sub-zero temperatures of Antarctica.

All the teachers are currently following a diet, prescribed by the human physiology project, where they must fill in diet sheets and answer questionnaires about their well-being.

Mr Richardson's scientific project will study tardigrades (waterbears) of the Ellsworth mountains.

The organisms can enter a state of suspended animation called cryptobiosis, in which they can endure the most gruelling temperatures with ease.

The Antarctic trip will be filmed and fed back live to the schools where Mr Richardson and his colleagues teach.