Doctors to spend Christmas rowing across Atlantic

Adam Baker and Charlie Fleury are rowing from the Canary Islands to Antigua

Two doctors are spending Christmas rowing across the Atlantic Ocean.

Married couple Adam Baker and Charlie Fleury, who both work at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, hope to raise £100,000 for charity.

They set off from the Canary Islands 11 days ago and were expected to take about 40 days to get to Antigua.

The trip was delayed for a year because of their commitments during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ms Fleury said: "It has been incredibly hard to keep momentum going despite being so mentally fatigued with work pressures, but what good practice to prepare for this ultra-endurance challenge."

The pair, who are both 31 and A&E doctors, are raising money for the Devon Air Ambulance, the RD&E charity, which supports the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, the RNLI and Mind.

Mr Baker believes the fact they are married will be "an advantage".

He said he was "looking forward to pushing through our perceived mental barriers and taking on the extremes of the ocean".

Under team name Emergensea Duo, they will attempt to break the mixed pairs record for the crossing, deemed to be the "world's toughest row".