ADVENTUROUS Weymouth student Christopher Lyness will help light the most northerly beacon in the world to mark the Queen's Jubilee.

Christopher, 19, of Hetherly Road, Weymouth, is part of a team of people on a five-month expedition in the Arctic who will be lighting a beacon today to celebrate the royal occasion.

The event will be broadcast on television and radio across Britain.

Christopher, who was a pupil at Wey Valley School and a student at Weymouth College, is on a gap year before he heads off to study chemistry at Southampton University.

He is living in a two-man tent braving -25C (-14F) conditions on an Norwegian island called Svalbard helping to research migrating bird patterns as well as carrying out snow and environmental analysis.

Christopher, who has two brothers Daniel and Fraser, is also taking part in mountain climbing and trekking expeditions.

Dad Nick Lyness said: "We are really proud of Christopher and very jealous of what he has been doing. He is having a great time and it is a great honour to be taking part in the lighting of the most northerly beacon in the world for the Queen's Golden Jubilee."

"On this trip he has had frost nip in eight fingers, which is not as bad as frostbite, and they have camp dogs to keep away the polar bears."

Mr Lyness said Christopher wanted to do something exciting before he went to university so when he saw information about the British Schools Expedition Society and the trip to the Arctic he decided to apply.

The beacon lighting event will be broadcast on BBC 1 at 5.30pm today and was due to be live on Radio 5 Live at 2.30am.

Mr Lyness added: "Being involved in lighting the beacon for the Queen's jubilee is something he will never forget."