A RETIRED engineer has made history by becoming the first person to circumnavigate the arctic circle clockwise by boat.

Jeffrey Allison, who set off in June from Hartlepool, in his 52ft Amel Mango craft Eshamy with Australian crewmate Katherine Brownlie, 28, has also become the first Briton to make the journey in either direction.

The achievement was made all the more impressive as 73-year-old Mr Allison only took up sailing when he retired.

Last night, Mr Allison’s family told The Northern Echo they were extremely proud of him, and he was tired, but in good spirits.

Mr Allison, from Middleton Tyas, between Darlington and Richmond, has made several attempts at the voyage, with one in 2009 resulting in him being almost sunk by the Russian coastguard, who accused him of sailing in the Barents Sea without the necessary permission.

Despite insisting that he was sailing in international waters, he and his two crewmates were arrested, and a Russian court found Mr Allison guilty of the offence and fined him 2,000 roubles (£40).

His visa was also revoked – meaning he can’t return to Russia until 2014. The delay also thwarted his record attempt.

However, this did not deter Mr Allison, whose journey took him from the North-East to Iceland, Greenland, around Alaska and Russia, then on to Scandinavia.

He is now in Norway and is expected to return home soon.

The trip, which at one point saw the duo spend 40 days and 40 nights sailing without seeing land, was made possible due to retreating ice in the Arctic.

Mr Allison’s wife, Prue, said: “He is such an unassuming man, but is so brave and determined.

“He is to be admired and respected for his achievements. Good things come out of Hartlepool and return.”

Mr Allison has also previously sailed across the Atlantic Ocean six times, through the Panama Canal, and across the Pacific, Indian and Arctic Oceans.

His daughter, Fiona Cook, said: “We are extremely proud. It is such a big achievement for a 73-year-old man. We are amazed he’s done it.

“I don’t think he has any idea how much we worry about him, but there is no stopping him.

“We’ve spoken to him and he’s tired, but absolutely thrilled. He’s been planning this for a long time and he’s finally achieved it – it is amazing.”

She added he had not been put off by his previous experiences with the Russian authorities.

“He just said he would deal with it if he gets into trouble again. He’s so determined, he wasn’t going to let anything like that put him off. The whole family are very proud.”