A 45ft yacht has gone to the assistance of two charity ocean rowers, who ran out of food halfway across the Atlantic.

Cumbrian brothers Chris and Matthew Cleghorn, both former Royal Marines, were swamped in heavy seas aboard their rowing boat Papa Delta and their food became contaminated with sea water.

They appealed to Falmouth Coastguard, who sent the yacht White Whisper to help them out, as the brothers did not have enough food to complete their 2,535 mile row from the Canary Islands to Antigua.

Ian Guy, watch manager at the Falmouth Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, said: ‘The yacht was several hundred miles behind the rowers, but was following roughly the same track.

‘As the yacht was going faster than the rowers we requested that they may be able to assist the rowers by supplying them with food.

‘At 9pm this evening (Tuesday) the yacht successfully met up with the rowers and passed them enough food to complete their trip.’

White Whisper first made contact with Falmouth Coastguard because of problems of its own, after a storm damaged its steering gear and the four crew were looking to maintain a communications schedule.

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