Childhood friends from Dorset in Pacific rowing challenge

The childhood friends live thousands of miles apart

Four childhood friends are preparing to row 4,500km (2,800 miles) across the Pacific Ocean for charity.

Brothers Oliver and Harry Amos, and friends Paris Norriss and Barney Lewis, are competing in the inaugural Pacific Rowing Challenge, starting on 12 June.

The four grew up in north Dorset and Somerset but now live in Dubai, Stockholm and London.

Their mothers, who still live just a few miles apart, said it would be a nail-biting few weeks.

Up to 20 teams will row from Monterey in California to Hawaii in what has been billed as one of the toughest races in the world.

The friends, who grew up in Shaftesbury and Frome and are now in their 30s, will have no support boat during the challenge, although competitors will be monitored to make sure they are safe.

The name of their boat - You're Beautiful - was chosen by fans of singer James Blunt, who is a cousin of the Amos brothers.

Their mother, Clare Amos, said: "We three mums all live a few miles from each other so will be biting our nails for the duration of the row - in-between a fair few gins - to calm the nerves."

The team, called Brothers 'n Oars, has already raised more than £100,000 for the Blue Marine Foundation and the Invictus Games Foundation through a charity auction.