The former swimmer, who lost his leg to cancer as a 17-year-old, won 12 Paralympics medals across five Games from 1988 to 2004 and left the UK for Cape Town, South Africa, with team-mate James Mark on Monday (December 14) – 100 years to the day the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen beat Robert Falcton Scott in their race to the South Pole – to prepare for their challenge.

Woods, 42, aims to raise £20,000 ($31,000/€23,800) for Mencap and said: "This is the toughest thing I have ever done.

"I am apprehensive about it – but you are going to be a little bit – and I am as ready as I'm going to be.

"I will have the things the other racers will have to prepare for in terms of the environment, but I have also got to think that I am an amputee and the challenge that itself presents.

"I've only really known I was going to do it for three or four months – the other teams have known for a couple of years.

"There are teams with some quite good expertise such as an army team, and one with polar experience – then there is a guy who used to swim from Grimsby.

"It is bound to test me to my limit, but more than that I hope my involvement in it will test people's perceptions of disability and raise awareness of learning disability charity Mencap.

"One of the things we want to get out there is the way people perceive disability.

"I am a big believer that disability is relative to the task.

"Everyone is good at some things, and not so good at others.

"I'm under no illusion that our greatest battle will be against the environment, but we are in it to win it.

"There is a reason why Antarctica has been called the cruellest place on earth."

Woods (pictured) and Mark will spend two weeks acclimatising to the conditions after leaving Cape Town but Woods admits it will be difficult to leave his family for Christmas.

"That is going to be really tough," he said.

"One of the hardest things will be missing friends and family over Christmas.

"Then there is the cold.

"Once we get over the excitement of the race starting, naturally it will be difficult to stay focused.

"Just coping with at least 14 hours a day of skiing, everyday for a month, will be pretty difficult."

Mark and Woods will tackle temperatures as low as -50C and wind speeds of up to 80mph, pulling 70kg pulks across 740km, unassisted, while negotiating multiple crevasses and crossing snow bridges.

Their team is called SladenWoods and you can follow their progress online here and donate to Mencap here.

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