Arctic trip is a cut above for Sir Tom

Now entrepreneur Sir Tom Farmer is planning to head south to have his locks trimmed once again.

The 69-year-old had his hair cut by award-winning hairdresser Charlie Miller at the North Pole in April, with the Arctic adventure raising around 10,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Sir Tom is now set to travel to the South Pole before the end of the year - and he hopes his hairdresser will come too.

He said: "I had a fantastic trip to the North Pole. I enjoyed it so much that I decided I would like to go to the South Pole and I would like to do it in the same year, so I can claim to be one of the very few people who have been to the North and the South Pole in the same year."

The Hibs majority shareholder and Edinburgh's best-known hairdresser endured minus 35-degree temperatures at the North Pole, where Sir Tom settled into a make-shift barbers' chair for a quick trim.

Sir Tom added: "Going to the South Pole will be a different experience from the North Pole. At the North Pole there is nobody there at all except polar bears, but there is a community of scientists at the South Pole. It will be a tremendous experience."

Sir Tom said the details for the South Pole adventure have not yet been finalised, including Mr Miller's attendance and whether or not the trip will be another charity fundraiser.

"I'm trying to talk Charlie into coming and cutting my hair," he said.

On the previous trip, Sir Tom and Mr Miller were given some expert assistance by Sir Tom's friend, the English explorer David Hempleman-Adams, who has climbed the world's seven highest mountains and sailed the Atlantic solo.

Mr Hempleman-Adams will accompany Sir Tom on his latest adventure.

Sir Tom, who believes the last adventure may well have set a world record for the first haircut at the North Pole, said: "I'm doing this because I want to do it. You have got to have little challenges in your life. Less than 2000 people have ever gone to the North Pole and not many have gone to the North and South Pole in one year.

"I want to say I have stood at both ends of the world in the same year."

Sir Tom plans to set off on the week-long trip in November or early December.

[email protected]