Rowers describe 'terrifying' near-miss with tanker

Four experienced sea rowers have described the "terrifying" experience of nearly being hit by a tanker while they were stranded in the English Channel.

The crew, led by former University of Oxford psychology professor Kevin Dutton, set out on a charity challenge to row and cycle between the southernmost and northernmost points of the British Isles on 16 April.

But their boat suffered multiple problems a day later and they found themselves drifting in a busy shipping lane 25 miles (40km) from Portsmouth.

They were later rescued by a Border Force boat and were towed to safety in Weymouth, Dorset.

The crew said they had "never known so many things go wrong on a boat" after problems including their rudder malfunctioning and autopilot system failures.

Dutton, from Chipping Norton, said they had contacted Solent Coastguard for assistance.

He then recalled seeing a "massive" ship appearing on the horizon that he said was "like a row of terraced houses, only four times higher".

"It got closer and closer," he said. "In the end, I would say from my perspective, they were about 10 feet away and it was very, very scary. It was a terrifying experience."

They were then relieved to be picked up by the Border Force team.

"They turned up in their black gear with a Rib with an outboard motor and it was very James Bondy," Dutton said.

"They picked us up, they rescued us and they towed us into Weymouth, so it all had a happy ending."

The rowers have now resumed their South North Adventures challenge, which they describe as a "mental health pilgrimage" aiming to raise £100,000 for charities focused on children's wellbeing.

You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.