Celebrations as Atlantic rower returns to Shropshire
Midwife Sharon Magrath enjoyed an emotional homecoming after her record-breaking row across the Atlantic.
Sharon, of Bayston Hill, is one of the three women who took on the two-month challenge, and she was greeted on her return home by balloons, cake and more than 100 well-wishers.
The adventurer, who celebrated her 55th birthday while at sea and only arrived in the UK yesterday morning, said she was delighted to see her reception.
She said: “It’s lovely to see, there’s people from work, from church and from all over.
"The challenge was really hard – we had about four or five good days the whole time. Now it’s a case of getting back to normality.”
Sharon was one of a trio of rowers who set out from the Canaries in December and reached Antigua in February after the gruelling 60-day Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, and won the world record for the oldest combined age of a female group to row the Atlantic.
Di Carrington, 63, and Elaine Theaker, 54, were the other intrepid adventurers, and Di was in Bayston Hill to mark her fellow rower’s return.
Di, who also celebrated her birthday while completing the challenge, said: “It’s nice to be back. I’m loving everything about it at the moment, enjoying the interaction with people.”
Volunteers provided cakes and hot drinks, and the chair of Bayston Hill Parish Council was also in attendance.
The organiser of the homecoming celebration was Sharon’s daughter Ginny, who tried her best to keep it a secret from her mum.
Ginny said: “We wanted it to be a surprise but someone messaged mum apologising that they wouldn’t be able to make it, so she knew something was up.We are happy to have her back.”
