TWO teenagers rowed from Oxfordshire to London in a mammoth 145-mile trek to buy their school a new boat.

Ben Cox and Ryan Haines, both 15, set off from the River Thames Lechlade at 9am on Thursday and made it to the Houses of Parliament at 9am on Sunday.

The Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School, Marlow pupils made the effort to buy the school a new boat.

The first day took them to Abingdon and then onto Marlow on Friday, Saturday to Teddington, Greater London and then on to Parliament.

Ryan, from Bourne End and Ben, from Pinkneys Green near Maidenhead, then rowed back to Putney ‘exhausted but elated’ said Ben’s mother, Caroline.

She said: “They believe they may be the youngest to achieve this feat in a double.”

“The trip was not without some hiccups. At one stage the launch following developed an oil problem, the rowing boat rigger broke and Molesley Lock broke a piston just as they were about to go through.

“But the boys carried on throughout with great humour and resolve, rowing at least 12 hours a day.”

Click the link below to sponsor the boys.

Bucks Free Press: row