Ex-parachute regiment officer eyes rowing record

Mike Ellicock, from Lewes in East Sussex, set off on Wednesday

A former parachute regiment officer has set off on his attempt to break the record for a solo row around Great Britain, aiming to honour his former colleagues.

Mike Ellicock, from Lewes in East Sussex, was wounded in action during a hostage rescue in Sierra Leone in 2000, when he was a 25-year-old parachute regiment platoon commander.

The father-of-three, now 49, is attempting to make history by completing the challenge in less than 80 days.

"I turn 50 this year and to 'celebrate' I thought it would be a good idea to attempt to break the record for rowing around Great Britain," he said.

He set off from Newhaven in a Canadian-designed boat called Pegasus

He set off from Newhaven on Wednesday in a Canadian-designed boat called Pegasus which is a combination of a sea kayak and an ocean rowing boat.

He will go in a clockwise direction, stopping inland every so often to replenish supplies.

"I'm least looking forward to hitting Thurso, which is one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the UK, maybe in the world," he said.

"But I've trained hard for this challenge and taken advice from experts to ensure I'm equipped to deal with the wild waters there unscathed."

Mr Ellicock will raise funds for the Parachute Regiment Charity.

He wants to honour his former colleagues during the challenge

Following his recovery from being wounded in action in Sierra Leone, Mr Ellicock said he "had the privilege of commanding paratroopers on operations again before making a successful and rewarding transition into civilian life".

He added: "Not all my former brothers in arms were so fortunate, and that's why I'm looking to use this challenge as a way to honour them while raising money for charities close to my heart."

He will also fundraise for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

In 2013 he broke a Guinness World Record for running the London Marathon with a 40lb (18kg) pack in three hours, 25 minutes and 21 seconds, and has previously taken on the Devizes to Westminster canoe race, which runs over a 125-mile course from Wiltshire to London.

"This upcoming challenge is from another league though. It's like the next level," he said.