The granddaughter of Captain Scott said the anniversary of his arrival at the South Pole brought “a mixture of pride and sadness” for his descendants.

Speaking as she attended an event to mark the 100th anniversary of the first British team reaching the pole, Dafila Scott said she hoped the Terra Nova expedition would be remembered as much for its successes as its tragic end.

The team of five led by Scott were famously beaten to the pole by Norwegian Roald Amundsen.

They arrived 33 days after Amundsen on January 17 1912, and died on their return journey.

Dr Scott, who lives near Cambridge, said: “Today is very much a day of mixed emotions.

“We are enormously proud of the wonderful achievements of my grandfather and the rest of the expedition.

“Both in scientific terms and as a feat of human endeavour, the expedition was much more than a simple race to the pole.

“Of course it came to a tragic end and that is something of personal sadness to the families.

“But enough time has gone by for us to be able to reflect on their legacy.”