GB rowers battered by 50ft waves

The rowers left from Tower Bridge in London on 7 June

Four rowers attempting to become the first people to row non-stop around Britain have been battling with near-50ft (15m) waves in the Irish Sea.

The team, who set off a week ago, are 10 miles off the Cork coast seeking protection from another storm.

Led by Lt William de Laszlo, 25, of south London, the GB Challenge hopes to raise £1m for charity.

The rest of the team are Lt Ben Jesty, 24, of London, Sgt James Bastin, 34, of Gloucs, and Will Turnage, 26, Hants.

It's been hell - we have taken a real battering in the last 24 hours Will Turnage

The rowers plan to travel about 50 miles every day during the trip, which could take five to six weeks to complete in their 23ft-long boat, Outward Bound.

The team's navigator Mr Turnage spoke of the "enormous" seas and "relentless" wind they had experienced in recent days.

"Twice while Jim Bastin and I were rowing we were hit by waves that were nearly 50ft high," he said

"Twice a huge wall of water hit the boat broadside on and we thought we were going to be rolled over.

"It's been hell. We have taken a real battering in the last 24 hours and the boat is so small out here in these huge waves.

'Shattered'

"You look up and see waves breaking above you. Every so often a monster wave will roll through, threatening to swamp us."

Mr Turnage, from Lymington, said: "Rowing is so difficult - we are now rowing two hours on and two hours off. At the end of two hours, you're shattered.

"We are having to sleep in our oilskins but the sea is so rough that we are not getting any real sleep. For the last 36 hours, we've been living in our oilskins."

The crew are rowing 24 hours a day and carrying more than a ton of food - army rations washed down with cold desalinated seawater.

The Outward Bound charity and the Bud Flanagan Fund for leukaemia research will also benefit from the funds raised by the row.