Two finish nine-day charity rowing challenge

TWO friends have completed a gruelling nine-day challenge on a rowing machine in a shopping centre.

John Higson and Ant Clifford were in the St James Centre for 24 hours a day, for nine days, covering a total of 2345 kilometres on a rowing machine.

They had adopted patterns of two hours on and two hours off from January 7 until yesterday.

The challenge was part of a training and fundraising exercise to prepare for the 2011 Atlantic Rowing Race in December, which will see them cover almost 5000km in 65 days.

The two friends - known as team H2Row - were raising money for Cancer Research UK and BAPS Charities.

Mr Higson, 26, wanted Cancer Research UK to benefit as his grandfather and his mother has battled the illness.

Mr Clifford, 32, chose BAPS Charities - a global social service charity - as it was a cause important to a friend.