Rowers' triumphant return

The team started off from the breakwater at Holyhead harbour

A team of rowers from Anglesey have become the first to row non-stop from Holyhead to Ireland and back.

The team of six rowers and five helpers completed the 110 mile round trip in just under 44 hours over two nights and a day.

The idea for the Row for Dough fundraising challenge came from three taxi drivers who wanted to raise money to help disaffected youth in Holyhead.

They are waiting to hear whether their feat will make it into the Guinness Book of Records.

I went into a semi-sleep and started day-dreaming and hallucinating - but determination kept us going Rower, Dennis Hadley

The team had to postpone an earlier attempt because of bad weather, but made the most of this week's window of fair weather.

They set off on Monday evening, aiming to return 44 hours later on Wednesday afternoon, which they did, on target, at 1555 BST.

Two rowers at a time took turns to row the 14ft boat.

An RAF speedboat took them backwards and forwards from the boat to a yacht sailing alongside providing hot water, beds and food.

"It was much harder than any of us thought it would be," says taxi driver Dennis Hadley, who did not admit to his fellow team-members he suffers from sea-sickness.

"Fatigue struck us on the first night . I went into a semi-sleep and started day-dreaming and hallucinating.

"But my brother Cliff, who was my partner, nudged me to keep me awake.

"I didn't tell anyone how bad my sea-sickness was and I haven't eaten much since Monday.

"But determination and camaraderie kept us going."

'Game of chess'

Although the route has been rowed from Ireland to Holyhead before, it is believed to be the first time it has been attempted the other way round because of the notorious tides around the North Stack.

Because of the dangers, Mr Hadley compares their journey to a "game of chess" and puts their success largely down to the skill of the navigators who sailed with them, John Owen and his son Jo.

Dennis Hadley: Concerned about Holyhead's youth

"The local opinion was that a rowing boat could not survive the strong tides around the Stack which could wash you up to the Skerries," said Mr Hadley.

"But we depended on the 100% accuracy of the navigators to guide us through the break of the tide and to keep us on track for Dun Laoghaire."

The rowers were greeted in Ireland by the mayor of Dun Laoghaire and the mayor of Holyhead.

A signed Welsh flag handed over to them will be exhibited at the town's museum and the Holyhead boys presented the Irish with a friendly challenge to beat their time of 43 hours, 56 minutes and 50 seconds.

The group have raised £7,500 so far and intend to use it to help buy sports equipment for the town's youngsters and set up a drop-in centre for them.

They decided to attempt the challenge, which they hope will now become an annual event, after becoming concerned about the number of young people hanging around on street corners in the town.