Bid to bring home bear attack party

Plans are being made to bring home the remaining members of an expedition party rocked by a polar bear attack that left a British schoolboy dead.

Patrick Flinders and Scott Bennell-Smith, who were hurt in the attack in Norway, were due to be transferred to hospitals closer to home after landing on British soil yesterday.

The two teenagers were sharing at tent with fatally wounded Horatio Chapple, 17, when the incident took place on Friday.

The two other injured party members – Michael “Spike” Reid, 29, the expedition leader who shot the bear, and 27-year-old fellow leader Andy Ruck - will return when when medics and transport authorities allow, trip organisers said.

Meanwhile, the eight uninjured members of the group were expected to return to the UK today.

Patrick, 16, from Jersey, has been hailed a hero and found local fame after punching the 250kg animal on the nose in an attempt to fend off the attack, his father said.

He and Scott, 17, from St Mellion, Cornwall, underwent surgery after being mauled by the animal that killed their companion.

The youngster was due to land at Southampton Airport yesterday and then be transported by ambulance to hospital in the city.

Doctors are going to assess Patrick today to try to ascertain when he can be transferred home to Jersey.

Terry Flinders, 58, said he would be relieved to have his son back.

His mother, Elizabeth, was travelling to the airport to meet him yesterday.

Patrick has a fractured skull and had undergone an operation in Norway to remove small pieces of bone, Mr Flinders said.

The bear had Patrick’s head in its mouth but miraculously he managed to escape. He also suffered arm injuries.

Mr Flinders said his son’s face and head are badly swollen but that he spoke to him on the phone and he sounded well.

Patrick was smashed across the face and head by the bear, which also ripped his ear and damaged his eye.

The teenagers were part of a group travelling on a British Schools Exploring Society (BSES) expedition, which was camped on the Von Postbreen glacier near Longyearbyen on Svalbard, north of the Norwegian mainland.

The society said they were being flown home under the care of a specialist medical evacuation team.

The remaining groups involved in the trip have returned to base camp and arrangements are being made for them to come home within the next few days.

Relatives of those on the expedition and BSES staff will meet the group members, along with specialists such as doctors and counsellors if needed.

On Saturday, BSES announced it had decided to end the £3,000-per-head expedition on the advice of the Svalbard authorities and in accordance with the wishes of the group leaders.

Police are investigating the incident.