TWO Christchurch brothers will compete in the 2016 P1Superstock offshore Powerboat Championships to raise money for armed forces charity Help for Heroes.

However, Lee & Glynn Norvall - who have become Help for Heroes' first marine charity partner - still need to secure £50,000 funding to make sure they'll make the starting line.

The pair want local Dorset businesses to get behind their effort and take up sponsorship, as the sport is televised by the BBC, ITV and Sky Sports.

Glynn, from Bransgore, said: "We have jumped in with both feet first, you have to be crazy to race a powerboat but we could not turn down this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help raise money for great cause."

The brothers, who are set to compete in what is one of the world's most dangerous marine sports, do come from racing heritage.

Despite themselves never having raced at sea before, their father, Doug Norvall, built and raced the very first catamaran powerboat 53 years ago, as well as racing at Cowes.

Lee, from Mudeford, said: "Racing a powerboat to raise money is off the wall, we never believed that Help for Heroes would agree for us to be their first marine charity partner but we are over the moon."

Lee runs a computer business and Glynn is a maintenance manager - both have young families.

Help for Heroes' Mark Elliot said: "We are looking forward to working with Lee and Glynn from E. Marine Racing and to get the backing of race organisers Powerboat P1."

The 2016 Superstock race season starts at Scarborough in mid-May, and includes the Grand Prix of the Sea events in Scotland, Wales, Portsmouth and Bournemouth.

Email lee@emarineracing.com for information about sponsorship opportunities.