Atlantic rowers thank Mansfield pupils for their support

Russell Davis and George Nelson finished their row across the Atlantic in March

Two men who completed a 3,542-mile (5,700km) voyage across the Atlantic Ocean have thanked pupils who left secret good luck messages for the pair.

Russell Davis and George Nelson arrived in Antigua in March, having set off from Portugal 98 days earlier.

Children from St Peter's Primary School in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, had written supportive messages for the pair, which were hidden in food packs.

The rowers have raised about £40,000 for charity through their exploits.

Mr Nelson visited the school on Tuesday, when he presented pupils with a framed picture of their good luck messages.

The messages were secretly stashed in the rowers' food packs, with the pair only discovering them while they were at sea.

The children were presented with the good luck messages they had sent to the rowers on Tuesday

Thanking the children when presenting them with the notes "as a token of gratitude", Mr Nelson said he hoped the rowing and fundraising effort - for Vicky McClure's Our Dementia Choir and Mansfield-based Help at Hand - would inspire them.

"With determination and perseverance, you guys can achieve anything you want," he said.

The 56-year-old added: "It was a complete surprise to us.

"Some of [the messages] were really funny, they kept us going, others were heartfelt which brought tears to your eyes and made you want to get home quicker.

"I know it's just a small thing, but by golly, for Russ and I, who were out there, lonely, with no telephones to communicate, it was a massive, massive boost for us."

Mr Nelson said it was important to come back to thank the pupils

Kyra Kennedy, a class teacher at the school, said she was "so glad" her uncles had made it home safely.

"Last summer, George [Nelson] came in with the boat to show the children, because I'd told the children about an exciting adventure my uncles were going on," she said.

"The kids were just amazed and kept asking questions, and we knew the kids would be able to give some good messages.

"My aunties and my mum, they were packing up the food bags for George and Russ, so we slid [the messages] in so when they opened up a food package each day, there was a new message each day to keep them going."

Teacher Kyra Kennedy said the children were "really happy" to be part of the pair's journey