A Billericay animal lover is preparing for an unusual trip of a lifetime – being pulled across the Arctic in sled.

Sarah Barber will brave freezing temperatures to make the trip north in March 2011 where she will travel 200km across the snow, pulled by a team of between four to six huskies.

The 36-year-old, who helps at Battersea Dogs and Cats’ Home, London, is joining a group of four staff and volunteers for the five-day journey.

Sarah, of Thynne Road, Billericay, hopes to raise £4,000 for the charity, which rehomes hundreds of un-wanted cats and dogs a year.

She said: “I have had the good fortune to work with some amazing dogs, including the Siberian husky, and this is my way of giving something back while having, hopefully, a fantastic adventure.

“The staff at Battersea do an amazing job rehoming these dogs, hence my decision to take on a rough and physical challenge, risking frostbite and sore legs to head across the Arctic.”

Sarah, who volunteers at the dogs home every Friday and works for a consultancy firm in London during the rest of the week, said she was also looking forward to working with huskies on the trip.

She said: “It’s very sad, but we get a lot of unwanted huskies brought in because people buy them and don’t know how to look after them.

“They are highly intelligent, working dogs and they need owners who understand those traits.”

To prepare for her trip, Sarah has started a six-month fitness plan.

She said: “I’ve got a long way to go. I’m going to be standing on the back of a sled for eight hours a day, so I’ll be doing a lot of squats to prepare.”

To sponsor Sarah, visit www.justgiving.com/Sarah-Barber111