Quadriplegic's solo sail delayed

Hilary Lister hopes to complete the trip in three to four months

A record-breaking quadriplegic sailor has postponed her solo round-Britain trip because of technical problems.

Hilary Lister, 36, from Dunkirk, Kent, had hoped to set off in her 20ft breath-controlled boat from Dover on Monday, but has been delayed by a week.

She became the first quadriplegic sailor to cross the English Channel in 2005 and circumnavigated the Isle of Wight in July last year.

Mrs Lister controls the boat using straws to adjust the sails and tiller.

It is anticipated the clockwise journey in her boat, the Artemis 20, will take three to four months in a series of day sails.

Testing at sea

The delay to her latest voyage has been caused by "technical issues" with the boat's electronic control systems.

Her team said the problems had been resolved by various adaptations and modifications, but there had not been enough time for them to be fully tested at sea.

Project director Tony Leppard said: "We have made every effort to ensure that our planning and preparation has been as thorough as possible but we ultimately have to make decisions in light of our paramount consideration - the safety of Hilary and the crew."

Mrs Lister has been paralysed for seven years as a result of a progressive degenerative disease, reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

Last year a similar journey was completed in 109 days by Geoff Holt, who is paralysed from the chest down.