Extreme Erging: "Basingstoke man goes 'round world' on rowing machine"

A man spent more than two years rowing "around the world" on a rowing machine at a Hampshire shopping centre.

Dave Holby, 29, rowed for an average of 37 miles (60km) every day, five days a week, for the past two years and seven months in Basingstoke.

He clocked up 24,900 miles (40,073km) - the same as circumnavigating the globe.

Mr Holby, who has so far raised £18,000 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "It doesn't feel real - it's such a lovely feeling."

Crowds gathered to see the end of the record-breaking row, during which Mr Holby had to endure spells of intense winter weather as well as a hot summer.

"There were so many points where I thought I wouldn't get through but the people of Basingstoke carried me through."

Mr Holby was attempting to set a new world record for the fastest row around the equator.

Guinness World Records is waiting to verify his bid.

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