1981: David achieved one of the fastest ascents of Mount McKinley in Alaska

1984: He became the first person successfully to complete a solo expedition to the Magnetic North Pole unaided

1986: He became the first Briton to walk solo and unsupported to the South Pole. He also sailed to the South Pole

1998: The adventurer hauled his sledge through wind chills of -90C across the frozen Arctic Ocean to reach the North Pole

1999: David was aboard when the first hot air balloon flight was made in the Arctic and successfully crossed the North West Passage

2000: He became the first person to solo pilot a balloon to the North Pole

2002: He was forced to ditch his wicker basket balloon miles from the Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to fly solo from America to Europe

2003: He completed a record-breaking 300-mile solo walk to the Magnetic North Pole 60-miles of it with a broken ankle. He later dedicated the walk to the memory of close friend and ITN journalist Terry Lloyd who was killed covering the war in Iraq