A TOP dentist told today how his rucksack saved him from possible death during a climbing and skiing expedition to the Arctic.

Colwyn Jones, Consultant Dentist with Wigan and Bolton Health Authority, fell through a crevasse while exploring an unknown glacier in North-east Greenland.

It was just one incident during an eventful expedition in Colwyn's team climbed five new mountains and explored two new glaciers.

Colwyn said they had been walking down the steep glacier when he slid into the thick snow and suddenly found his legs dangling in the air.

He had slipped through a crevasse and was only prevented from falling onto the ice 40 feet below by his rucksack and the skis strapped to his back.

Another member of the team pushed his skis into the snow to stop Colwyn slipping down further and tied a rope round him. Then they made a pulley to haul him out.

He said: "It was terrifying. We were walking down the glacier because it was too steep to ski and the next thing I knew I was in the crevasse.

"If I had gone through I would have broken a lot of bones and it would have been quite serious."

The expedition was flown in by a special ski plane which landed on a glacier between two mountains where no plane had landed before.

"When we stopped, the pilot kept one of the engines running while we quickly unloaded," said Colwyn.

"It flew off leaving us completely alone until it returned three weeks later to collect us.

"It was cold with temperatures as low as minus 22C."

Another potential danger was a polar bear or wolf attack and they had a loaded rifle in case it was needed.

Colwyn was the expedition doctor and was called upon to do emergency surgery when one of the team was hit in the face by falling rocks while abseiling down a rock face.

The expedition also carried out research and one project looked at which toothpaste is best in the Arctic.

Not forgetting his role, Colwyn, said: "Even in the Arctic it is important to brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste!"

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