Mystery firm invests £1m in transplant yacht race team

A MYSTERY benefactor has agreed to invest £1 million to help a relay team of transplant patients take part in the round-the-world yacht race.

The Evening News revealed last week that Edinburgh will enter the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race for a second time - with a team of transplant patients helping to man the yacht.

It has now emerged that an Edinburgh company that does not want its name to be known has provided the funding required to meet the costs of entering the race.

An additional 110,000 will also be split between the city council and Marketing Edinburgh for "port activation" promotion of the city throughout the trip.

Councillor Tom Buchanan, the city's economic development leader, said: "This is a heck of a story and I am thrilled that Edinburgh can take part and give these people that opportunity. We would never be able to divert such large resources into it, so getting such a big resource has really helped."

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital will line up alongside nine other international teams for the 40,000-mile circumnavigation - the world's longest ocean race - when the event gets under way on the south coast of England on July 31.