A FOUR-man crew led by a University of Southampton manager are aiming to break a world-record by rowing around the UK in just 25 days.

Jeremy Webb, a business relations manager at the university, will skipper the seven-metre-long vessel, which will seat Webb and his team-mates Rhys Deane, from Ilfracombe, Lyme Regis’ Nigel Le Gassick and British-born Sydney resident Duncan Tebb.

The crew, who call themselves the Island Voyagers, are set to leave Calshot Activities Centre today before attempting to row 2,400 miles, non-stop and unassisted around Great Britain.

If successful, the crew will join an elite group of only 20 rowers who have managed to complete the challenge. But to put even more pressure on the team, Jeremy has his sights firmly on beating the current record of 26 day, nine-hours, nine-minutes and 58-seconds.

“Three-years-ago I rode the mid-Atlantic which I did with a team in 69-days,” Jeremy told the Daily Echo.

“Then I had this bright idea that I wanted to do something slightly more challenging so bought a boat, assembled a crew and we decided to go around the UK.”

He added: “Our biggest enemy and friend is the wind but we’re hopeful we can come in in 25 days to beat the record.

“For me leaving at Southampton, being a Southampton boy is really fitting and hopefully we can get round.”

The boat has two seats, which allows the crew to two-hour shifts. It is big enough to also contain all of the provisions needed including food, medicine and a water maker to turn seawater into freshwater.

Donations will go to The Honeypot Children’s Charity and to the new Cancer Immunology Centre which is being built at the University of Southampton.

So far more than £2,000 has been raised.

Visit justgiving.com/islandvoyagers.