Woman from Leeds to take up position in Antarctic post office

• Dale Ellis tells Ian and Lara about her upcoming adventure to the South Pole.

A woman from Leeds admits she is a "little bit mad" after agreeing to travel to Antarctica to take up her new job in the southernmost post office in the world.

Dale Ellis is being sent to a remote island in the South Pole to live among the aquatic birds while working as a shop manager and wildlife monitor.

She is going as part of a five-person team from the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust team to set up life in Port Lockroy, where they will be completely alone, except for the penguins.

Dale, a fundraising consultant for arts charities, said: "It is a little bit mad. It's definitely going to be challenging as it's so far away from home. I do love the fact that I'm a northerner and going to be in the southernmost place I can be.

"We'll be dropped off on the island and I think that first moment when that ship pulls away and we're alone it will really sink in what we are doing."

"For me, it was just a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to work for an amazing charity that is preserving our British human history in Antarctica which is really important, and I get to live with a thousand penguins."

"It's going to be very, very cold so I'll definitely be packing my big coat."

The team will be tracking penguins in the area throughout the season, monitoring their breeding, the number of eggs they produce and how many chicks are born.

Their journey to Antarctica will involve flying to Europe and then Argentina before taking a boat to the island, which is the size of a football pitch.

When the team arrive, they will have to dig themselves into the house out of the snow. The temperature is expected to be around -2C but they will be prepared with lots of thermals and equipment to make sure they are kept safe and warm.

The building they will live in was built in 1946, just after the Second World War.

Dale said the team are expecting to live a "1950s lifestyle" with the likes of Fray Bentos pies and tins of food for their meals.

She has been assured that there will be plenty of Yorkshire Tea waiting for her at her new house, but says she will pack some local Yorkshire honey for a taste of home.

She also plans to pack her crochet set, wool and art books to keep her entertained when she's not working.

To earn her role, Dale had to go through a selection process which involved putting up tents while wearing oven gloves and doing other bizarre activities as the leaders wanted to ensure the team gelled well together.

Dale heard about the trip 15 years ago but didn't seriously consider it then as she didn't think she could bring anything to table. Now she's got the role and wants to inspire others with the message that anyone can give it a go.

The island welcomes lots of visitors from cruise ships going by. They invite about 40 people at a time to make sure that they don't disturb the penguins and to also get a good opportunity to look around the museum and buy their postcards to send back home.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.