Charity rowers shelter from Storm Floris in marina

(L-R) Aaron Kneebone, Matt Parker, Mike Bates and Liz Wardley moored up at Newhaven Marina amid Storm Floris

A rowing team attempting a 900-mile (1,448km) journey to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research have been forced to seek shelter from Storm Floris at Newhaven Marina.

The Row4MND crew are aiming to raise £57m with a series of rowing challenges over the next four years, inspired by rugby players Rob Burrow and Doddie Weir who both had MND.

Storm Floris is currently bringing "unseasonably strong" winds and rain to the UK.

The crew are hoping to set off from Newhaven, East Sussex, to continue their journey - from Land's End to John O'Groats via the Irish Sea - on Tuesday morning.

Mike Bates, Matt Parker, Liz Wardley and Aaron Kneebone make up the four-person endurance team.

They plan to spend 2025 and 2026 circumnavigating the UK before a trans-Pacific row from California to Hawaii in 2027 and a world record attempt from New York to London in 2028.

Speaking to the BBC, skipper Mike Bates described the challenge so far as "the most brutal ordeal".

"We've been tested to our limits," he said. "We've got so many ocean rowing days under our belt but this makes rowing the Atlantic feel like a walk in the park."

The group are currently moored at Newhaven Marina's visitor pontoon awaiting better weather.

"The huge Newhaven to Dieppe ferry moves past us every few hours and wakes us during the night," said Mr Bates.

The first leg of the journey has already been beset with challenges after the crew were earlier forced to divert to Milford Haven in Wales due to strong winds.

The vessel, nicknamed 57, shows pictures of former rugby stars Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow, who both had MND

The South East coast presents unique challenges for the team and their 9m (29.5ft) boat as they head through the English Channel as they have to "dodge and weave between big ships that can't see us".

Mr Bates added: "Our hands are blistered, we're broken and we've barely slept but people suffering with MND would do anything to row at sea.

"When you can't stand and your hands are bleeding you do it because you can, we sacrifice a bit of ourselves for them. There's no greater motivation."

The team have so far raised £105,590.