AN adventure through a breath-taking icy world is being relived through a new book.

The book Birds, Beasts and Ice: An Antarctic Adventure takes readers on a six-week voyage by icebreaker across the wild Southern Ocean, and then icebreaking thousands of kilometres before a helicopter takes them the last 400 km to Mawson station perched on the edge of the polar icecap.

62-year-old Michael Anderson, who was born in Millom but lives in Askam with his wife Jane after returning to England five years ago, has written about an opportunity that came about during his 35 years of living in Australia.

The book follows his six month trip as a volunteer biologist on an Adelie penguin study program.

He said: "I was really fortunate to go to Antarctica as a volunteer biologist with the Australian Antarctic Division.'

“It was an amazing experience, Antarctica is really out of this world, it is beyond a normal life experience. Everything is crystalline and it’s an ice world with added wildlife.

“The book is a celebration of its unique wildlife, and a reminder that we might lose this if the ice diminishes.”

Michael began writing down stories piece by piece around two years ago, gradually turning into a book.

Some of his most fond memories include skiing, tobogganing, climbing peaks and ice yachting.

Michael said: “I absolutely loved my job and the penguins, I would not only work with them but sit with them in the evening and watch them.

“I was there about 25 years ago now and things have changed rapidly in that time with regards to climate change, so that’s partly why I wanted to write the book.”

Proceeds from the book, which include his own photographs from the trip, will be donated to St Mary’s Hospice and CancerCare.

Michael was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2019, and is currently a resident at the hospice.

He said: “My wife and I have just been living with it ever since, and it's certainly had some difficulties in the last few months

“It led to me being in the hospice to try alter the drugs I’m on to manage the pain it has been causing.

“It’s been a challenging journey.”

The release date for the book will be announced shortly.