A Bristol teacher is hoping to win a place on an expedition to the Antarctic.

Esther Lawton, from Bristol Brunel Academy in Speedwell, is in the final 11 who are competing for four places on the trip, which takes place in November and December.

It is organised by the Fuchs Foundation and conceived by a party of British Antarctic Survey scientists to mark the service of Sir Vivian Fuchs as the first director of the survey.

Biology teacher Esther, 44, who has a background in nursing and health care, has put forward two research ideas. The first is to look at the influences of the extreme environment on human physiology, by testing herself and other scientists in the party.

Her second idea came out of a conversation with her pupils about how to get their sledges to go faster in the recent snow. Esther would like to look at the optimum temperature for the lowest friction co-efficiency of snow.

The shortlisted candidates will now take part in the final selection process in Dalehead Basecamp, Edale, Derbyshire, in April, which will involve group tasks including hill walking and team building.

Esther said: "I am really pleased to get this far but to win a place on the expedition would be truly amazing. If I am lucky enough to win a place, I will then have to raise between £8,000 and £10,000 to fund the trip so a lot of hard work lies ahead.

"The experience this will afford me if I go will have a major impact on the students I teach and their education."