Swindon-born explorer David Hempleman-Adams is to pilot a single-engined plane from the most northern point of the American continents to the most southern point .

The explorer will fly the stripped-down Cessna light plane on a dangerous 11,500-mile journey over some of the earth's most uninhabited terrain.

The flight from Cape Columbia, in the Arctic Circle, to Cape Horn, in Chile, will push the 29ft-long aircraft to its limits in stretches of up to 10 hours.

Mr Hempleman-Adams, 47, will share a cabin the size of a small car with Canadian co-pilot Lorne White.

The team, due to depart on July 6, will have to endure temperatures of minus 30C and 24-hour sunlight in the Arctic, intense equatorial heat in the Amazon and freezing winter winds in Patagonia.

Launching the challenge at London's Science Museum, Mr Hempleman-Adams said: "It's going to be quite an undertaking with some potentially scary sections.

"My hope is that it will inspire young people back to the classic spirit of adventure and prove to them that anything is possible."

He said the flight had never before been attempted in such a small aircraft and the crew could face grave problems if forced to make an emergency landing over the vast expanses of the Arctic Circle or the Amazon rain forest.

Neither crewmember will be able to sleep on board but will have to pitch a tent under a wing on scheduled refuelling stops.

The crew also aims to set a number of world records during the challenge, which is due to take around three weeks, attempting several speed records for Cessna flights.