Two Cornish rowers from the Roseland Gig Club taking part in the great Atlantic rowing race had to be rescued after their boat pitch-poled on Sunday just over 100 miles from the finishing line.

Bob Warren, 40, from St Mawes and Chris Barrett, 41 from Hayle, are safe and well having been picked up from a liferaft in the middle of the night on Sunday. They were due to arrive in Antigua yesterday.

Their boat, made and launched in Cornwall and appropriately named Spirit of Cornwall was left wallowing in heavy seas.

An electronic SOS had been sent from the Spirit of Cornwall by the rowers when they were 180 miles east of the finish in Antigua. This is where they were later taken by the support vessel Aurora.

Norma Fowler, from the Spirit of Cornwall team, said the men were experienced rowers but they had not undertaken any trip of this magnitude - previously the longest trip was three days.

"Both of them are highly experienced in the water - they know and respect it. It's just a disaster for them."

The distress signal was picked up by Falmouth Maritime and Rescue Co-ordination Centre. A French aircraft sent from Martinique located the Spirit of Cornwall.

Falmouth coastguards arranged for the merchant vessel Rainbow and UK warship HMS Southampton to head for the area as well.

Charles Warren from Point, father of Bob, said at first the two rowers could not be seen but a red flare was then spotted and the life-raft located them.

Due to the sea conditions, it was a hairy transfer but both men "were on their feet" and appeared well.

They had little alternative after their boat, which had self-righted, took on too much water. It had been agreed to take to the liferaft.

For full report see this weeks Falmouth/Penryn Packet