Nile team crosses Lake Victoria

The small inflatable boats have been lifted over rapids by helicopter

Members of an expedition to the source of the Nile have made it across the world's second largest freshwater lake.

The Ascend the Nile team, whose first attempt was called off last year after a British man was shot dead in a rebel attack, has crossed Lake Victoria.

The lake crossing was the longest open-water passage tried by the team in their small inflatable boats.

Hampshire adventurer Neil McGrigor said the team "were glad to have made it" after encountering a heaving storm.

Mr McGrigor, from Lymington, said of the crossing: "I wore my head torch back to front so the others could see me and lead the way.

"I could see their boats silhouetted in the chasing lightening - a forceful reminder that there was no turning back.

Mr McGrigor said the team had taken a battering in the crossing

"Two hours of heavy pounding and we had made it. For the first time on the expedition we all complained in unison about the battering we had taken.

"We were cold and wet but very, very glad to have made it."

Trek 'a tribute'

The team have been using helicopters to lift their Zap Cat boats over some of the 64 rapids that face them on the trip.

They restarted their journey from "sea to source" earlier this month, after their first attempt was called off when Steve Willis, a former diplomat, died in an attack in Uganda in November.

Mr McGrigor has described the new attempt as a tribute to Mr Willis, who ran a backpackers' camp.

Mr Willis had been helping the Ascend the Nile team after they got into trouble rafting.

Mr McGrigor himself suffered burns in the attack, which happened in the Murchison Falls National Park in the north of the country.