EYES boggled as a strapping ex-marine stripped to just his swimming trunks for a charity rowing challenge.

Passers-by at Bournemouth’s Castlepoint Shopping Park bore witness to Steen Stones, who served with the Royal Marine Commandos for five years, take it in turns with his teammates to reach 150,000 metres on a rowing machine between 9am and 8pm.

Steen, 30, and his crew members from Bournemouth Surf Boat Club will attempt a world record next May by rowing 2,500 miles around the UK in a restored 26-year-old Australian surf boat.

Aiming to raise £50,000 for the Royal Marines Association and Wessex Cancer Trust, the men were at the shopping centre to start training and attract support.

“I toured Afghanistan three times, so danger isn’t unusual for me and I’m looking forward to the challenge,” said Steen, who is currently studying business at Southampton Solent University.

“It’s taken some getting used to just being in our speedos and we have been getting quite a few people looking. It’s been pretty cold but it doesn’t take long to warm-up when you’re doing this.”

The idea for the challenge came from team member Ellis Hagger, an extra in Ridley Scott’s film Robin Hood.

He said: “We had so much fun on the film set that we decided to take up the sport of surfboat rowing and set about restoring an old Australian surfboat. “When that was decided we all thought it would be a great challenge to take it out on the water and see what it could do.”

Propelled by four 15ft oars, the surfboat is an old Australian rescue craft that has been adapted to be used for this high-adrenaline sport. To support the team, which also includes Mark Green, Sean Leddy, Gary Cure, Simon White and Mark Vidler, visit: ukcharityrow2015.com