Prince Harry's charity race to the South Pole has been called off over fear of injuries.
The British prince will walk to the summit instead alongside other soldiers, many of them wounded, without competing after concerns were raised over the weather and harsh terrain.
Harry had started off on the gruelling charity trek with a team of injured British servicemen and women against groups from the US and the Commonwealth in an expedition organised by the charity 'Walking With The Wounded'.
Ed Parker, the expedition director, said yesterday he had taken the decision to suspend the race to the Pole, but was determined everyone would make it to the South Pole as one group.
"We have had a tricky couple of days. The weather remains good but the terrain is very difficult, far harder than we were anticipating, and because of various factors, I have decided to suspend the race," he said in a statement on the charity's website.
"The reasons for this are entirely safety based. I am looking at the three teams. They are going really well but people are beginning to get very, very tired. With our doctor here, who I am in constant contact with, we just feel we are beginning to push people a little too hard, so I have suspended the race," he added.
An Apache helicopter pilot known as Captain Wales, Prince Harry had joined six other members of the Armed Forces.
The teams have been trekking for 12 hours a day pulling 155lbs sleds.
The event hopes to raise 100,000 pounds to help re-train injured servicemen and women to find jobs outside of the Armed Forces.
