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A previously unseen collection of photographic negatives showing Captain Scott's ill-fated trek to the Antarctic has been revealed, prior to its sale.

The 52 images were taken by Lt. Henry "Birdie" Bowers who was part of the doomed British Antarctic Terra Nova Expedition in 1912.

The entire party perished but the photos offer a fascinating snapshot of its journey to the South Pole.

The archive could fetch up to £50,000 at an auction in Devizes, Wiltshire.

Scott and his team never returned after being beaten to the South Pole by the Norwegian Roald Amundsen.

Andrew Aldridge of auctioneers Henry Aldridge and Son in Devizes in Wiltshire, said the images showed "the brutal nature of the environment these brave men had to endure".

He described the clarity of of the images as truly remarkable" and said they included "previously unseen elements", such as dog handler Cecil Meares and the mountains and ice shelves.

The collection has been estimated at between £30,000-£50,000 and is to be sold in an auction of Titanic, ocean liner and polar exploration memorabilia on 18 April.