Shropshire rowers complete Amazon River challenge
A team of rowers have completed their ambitious attempt to row the entire length of one of the world's longest rivers.
The team of five, from Shropshire, have rowed the entire 2,077 mile navigable length of the Amazon River in South America.
They were hoping to be reunited with their families today.
Starting out at the beginning of November, they completed their challenge in record time earlier this week.
The team was made up of Simon Furnival, a dairy farmer from Norton-in-Hales near Market Drayton, Martin Berry, who is director of Shropshire based surveying firm LandScope Engineering, and Stephen Harpin, a Telford-based entrepreneur.
Andy Griffiths, director of Wonderland Telford, and Stuart Manley, owner and operator of Manley Design & Construction based near Craven Arms, completed the team.
The team, which reached the finish line in Macapa in Brazil a few days ago, has faced a series of navigational challenges as they continued to row throughout the day and night.
A blog on the team's website on Thursday said: "Fantastic news just in. The Row the Amazon challenge has been completed.
"The crew has finished ahead of schedule and it has been confirmed that they have broken the record.
"Despite being totally and utterly exhausted, the guys are overwhelmed by all the well wishes and donations they received throughout the course of the row.
"They're very much looking forward to returning home. They should be back with their families on Saturday(DEC5) and are looking forward to telling us all about what it was like out in South America.
"They have battled very strong winds, heavy swells and extremely challenging tidal conditions.
"The team have been pushing hard down areas of the Amazon that are between 10 and 25 miles across.
"The crew are raising funds for charities that are close to their hearts."
