In July, chartered surveyor Paul Rocky successfully completed the Avon challenge - a 50 mile row upstream along the Avon from Tewkesbury to Stratford - to raise cash for the lifeboats.

• Paul's time (excluding stops) was 19 hours and 16 minutes, giving an average speed of just over 2.5mph against a current of 2mph. Both BBC Midlands and ITN Central News covered the event from start to finish, turning Paul into something of a celebrity for a few days. Well-wishers stood on the river bank cheering him on and threw money into his collection box as he rowed past. P B Paul hopes that with the support of friends 1 •"' 1 I colleagues, pubs, ttw rotary club of Sdihull and the BBBP S jH I local RNLI branch, he will manage to raise at least -•-' * ~" /a " £2,500..