A TEAM from the New Forest looks set to have broken the world record for rowing the length of the Thames with a crew of two.

The Lymington rowing duo of Dave Mans and Rob Maltby finished the epic 165-mile row from Lechlade, Gloucestershire, to Gravesend in 30 hours and five minutes.

Once verified by Guinness World Records, a process which can take between six and 12 months, the Lymington crew will have smashed the previous benchmark by almost six hours.

The crew, who have raised thousands of pounds in the process, were supported by a team of fellow rowing club members.

Dave said the achievement over the two days was not just for him and Rob.

"It really wasn't just mine and Rob's record. It is for the whole club and everyone who came out to support us," he said.

"Rob and I rowed the boat, but nothing would have happened without the 20 or 30 people who worked on the locks and support boats.

"It's absolutely the club's record.

"The highlight for us was the row through central London.

"To be able to see the capital at six in the morning as the sun was rising, rowing with the tide and with all the iconic sights like the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye was just incredible.

"The hardest part was towards the end and required some real boatmanship.

"We had some large tankers around us and were obviously at are most fatigued having rowed for 29 hours, but we managed to navigate our way through it.

So far the challenge has raised more than £3,500, with the team hoping to reach their target of £5,000 from additional post-row donations.

The crew who have both served in the armed forces are raising money for the veterans mental health charity, Combat Stress, and for the refurbishment of their local rowing club.

Along their journey the crew received hundreds of messages of support on social media, including Great Britain and four-time Olympic gold medalist, Sir Matthew Pinsent.

To donate to the Total Thames Challenge visit www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/hampshire-iowcommunity/totalthames17.