The wife a St Margarets environmentalist injured trying to prevent whaling in Antarctica has praised her husband’s bravery.

Steve Roest, 42, who the Green Party’s candidate for the Twickenham seat in the next general election, required five stitches in a head wound after an incident on February 4 when he was on board the Steve Irwin ship in the Ross Sea as part of a project to stop all whaling activities in the area.

Mr Roest - who is the UK director for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, the marine conservation organisation which owns the ship - was reportedly injured when a group of Japanese whalers attempted to ram the Steve Irwin.

His wife Carey, who also works for Sea Shepherd, is heading out to meet him on Sunday when he makes his way back to Hobart, Tasmania, from Antarctica.

She said: “He spoke to me on the day it happened. He woke me up at 6am and said he wanted to let me know he had been injured but was ok.

“He said he would call me back but I didn’t speak to him for three days.”

Mrs Roest, 36, said she exchanged emails with her husband and he is fine.

“Injury is nothing for him, he is quite a tough chap,” she continued. “He is doing something he always wanted to do. He feels he is making a difference.

“He is not making too much of it as he knows he has left me sitting around on my own. He keeps saying it is something we are doing together - I am a volunteer with them but I get sea sick.

“I’m gutted I can’t go but I’m really proud of him and proud of everyone.

“There are billions of people in the world and many of them believe whaling is wrong but 40 people are on a boat doing something about it.

“He has missed Christmas and my birthday but it’s an amazing thing to be part of.”

The couple - who live in Norman Avenue with their two cats - are taking time out when Steve gets back on dry land and are ready to begin an election campaign but Carey said he might not do that sort of thing again.

“It’s an organisation where you have to earn your stripes, prove yourself by giving up your time but I have put my foot down,” she joked.

“He won’t go on the next tour, after that we will see what happens.”