A BOYS' own hero was the guest speaker at the event to launch South Wilts Business Expo.

Marine explorer Dom Mee, who with three team mates will attempt to break the Atlantic rowing record in January, regaled a packed audience at the City Hall in Salisbury with tales of his exploits.

The HSBC-sponsored event was held two nights before Expo, the business exhibition organised and run by Salisbury & District Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Former Royal Marine Mr Mee was invited to speak by Melanie Murrell, boss of Salisbury company Innotec Supplies UK, which is one of his sponsors.

He explained that he wanted to follow great maritime explorers like Scott, Shackleton and Cook.

His first expedition was to row the Pacific.

"We rowed for 137 days and got within 800 miles of Japan when we got run over by a fishing boat," he said.

His expedition to the North Magnetic Pole, mirroring that of Sir John Ross in 1833, resulted in Mr Mee coming under attack - not by a polar bear, but by a musk ox.

"I fired a warning shot over its head and it went into a full-on charge," he said.

"It ran over the top of me and broke four ribs.

"We kayaked another 300 miles and found two metal objects from Sir John Ross's ship, The Victory.

"I said to myself I have got to go and find it'.

"After two years battling through the sea ice in motorised inflatable boats, we came across lots of bits of The Victory."

He continued: "Last year was the worst hurricane season and exactly a year ago I was struggling for my life in Hurricane Rita.

"There was a huge wave - we got sucked up the front of it and dropped off the top.

"I heard an aeroplane and for a further 20 hours we hung in there until the Canadian Coastguard picked me up.

"They told me that the last 20 people they picked up were dead. Our boat turned up in Ireland after 11 months in the North Atlantic.

"Did all this put me off? No!

"I am driven, I cannot give up, I believe in it.

"If I say I am going to do an expedition, it happens."

  • The launch event began with a minute's silence as a mark of respect to chamber member Steve Tilley of Salisbury Printing, who died ten days before Expo.