Rower completes 'bonkers' 3,200-mile challenge

A woman who never rowed before taking up a 3,200-mile (5,150-km) challenge to cross the Atlantic said it was "bonkers" she had completed the journey.

Nicky Allan, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, was part of a crew of four who rowed from Lanzarote to Antigua to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The 44-year-old's journey began on 24 January and the team arrived in Antigua on Thursday.

Allan said the reception the crew received when they finished "was absolutely out of this world".

The crossing was carried out in a purpose-built ocean rowing boat that measured about 8m (26ft) long and 2m (6.5ft) wide.

The crew followed a routine of two-hours rowing and two-hours resting, throughout the day and night and completed the journey in 54 days, seven hours and six minutes.

Along the journey the team encountered several issues, such as when one of the crew accidently took a laxative instead of a rehydration tablet and having to fix a leak in the boat.

Despite the gruelling challenge, Allan said the team "had some fun times".

"We've been 50-plus days at sea, which is just bonkers, I can't quite believe it," she said.

The crew paused before reaching the shore of Antigua to allow friends and family to gather to welcome them.

She said: "[There were] people with pots and pans banging them as we were coming in, there were horns, hooters, people shouting, bopping, everything - it was absolutely unbelievable."

Allan said the crew, who have raised more than £55,000 for the charity so far, was now looking forward to "food and cold drinks" before returning to the UK.

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