HMS Portland Sails To The Rescue Of Hungry Rowers

The Royal Navy frigate HMS Portland has sailed to the rescue of a pair of starving rowers.

Tom Hudson and Pete Fletcher are currently bobbing off the Cornish coast having rowed across the Atlantic from New York.

The adventurers and their two-man Macpac Challenger boat have been at sea for 97 days.

Rowing unaided they called the Coastguard after their meagre rations of food and water finally ran out.

HMS Portland who was sailing off the Cornish coast answered the call and steamed to the dou's rescue.

Delivering them not only food for the final three days of their journey and 18 litres of water, the Type-23 frigate's chef Emma Lloyd-Williams handed over a hot meal of soup, pasta and an all important brew.

Speaking about perhaps the most unusual take-away delivery in history Miss Lloyd-Williams said "It's absolutely incredible what these guys are doing to raise money.. It was humbling to be the first people the guys have seen for 97 days."

Hudson and Fletcher, who are hoping to complete a world first with their row, are raising money for the Australian cancer charity, the McGrath Foundation.

A post on the team's Dare to Dream facebook page described the desperately needed delivery as "incredibly amazing and definitely the best way to celebrate the accomplishment!"

"They said it was an absolutely breathtaking experience and are so happy to have had a good meal and received a few supplies to get them to Falmouth! Huge shout out to the crew of HMS Portland for all their support!"

Due to shortly arrive in Falmouth the pair will be able to celebrate the 3000 mile feat with a bottle of champagne, again courtesy of HMS Portland's crew.