A BATTERED-LOOKING bar of Kendal Mint Cake has travelled the world on expeditions in the rucksack of a keen walker over the past decade, reports Mike Addison.

The cosmopolitan piece of confectionary was bought by Mike Webb, of Epsom, Surrey, back in 1992 and in ten years has conquered countless summits in the UK, Europe, Asia, South Africa and the Himalayas but has yet to be eaten.

"I was brought up through scouting and it has been drummed into me from a young age that one of the things you must have with you on a wilderness expedition is survival rations," said Mr Webb, 34, who is an actuary.

"I did not buy it with the intention of eating it.

It was there for emergencies but I did not envisage that I would have it ten years later."

The bar, made by J.E.

Wilson & Sons Ltd, is an essential part of Mr Webb's standard kit and he keeps it in a bag alongside his survival blanket, whistle, compass, torch and penknife.

It came closest to being eaten when Mr Webb was climbing Mara Peak in the Everest region of the Himalayas with a friend in 1995 and "six foot of snow was dumped on us at 16,000ft with avalanches all around."

This story was recounted by the best man at Mr Webb's wedding two years ago to his wife Vicki and the bar of mint cake, which was already becoming something of a joke among his friends at the time of the expedition, received an honourable mention.

"There was an irony of me having this mint cake and not having used it although we did not get to the stage where we were starving," said Mr Webb.

Mr Webb said the bar was "a little bit broken up now" and added that after all this time he would be extremely reluctant to eat it.

Andrew Wilson, the managing director of J.E.

Wilson & Sons Ltd, Cross Lane, Kendal, said: "I suppose there are two ways that you can look at this.

From a sales point of view, it's an unmitigated disaster - if he has only bought one bar!

"But it also proves a point that mint cake is a great thing to have on your expedition and testament to how much people think it gives them an energy boost when they need it."