Churchill descendant rows Atlantic

The great-great nephew of Sir Winston Churchill has completed a 3,000-mile row across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Marquess of Blandford, George Spencer-Churchill, completed the feat alongside his three teammates in just over 35 days.

The team was the second boat overall, and the first British team, to reach the finish line in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

The 26-year-old helicopter pilot said described the event as "never-ending".

Mr Spencer-Churchill was part of the team Oar Inspiring, alongside Justin Evelegh and brothers Caspar and Toby Thorp.

The team crossed the line at 20:00 GMT on Wednesday in English Harbour, Antigua, after beginning the epic journey at La Gomera in the Canary Islands.

Dutch Atlantic Four - a team from the Netherlands - completed the row on Tuesday in 34 days.

Oar Inspiring was raising money for Starlight Children's Foundation which grants the wishes of children in hospital with serious or life-threatening conditions.

The son of the Duke of Marlborough, and the heir to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, said: "The thing I've learned is to never underestimate the size of an ocean.

"After day 10 we looked at the map and we'd only gone a fingernail, I thought 'this is pretty big'. It's never-ending."

The team said they would donate their boat to another prospective team that wants to take on the challenge.

Mr Spencer-Churchill said: "Everyone knows it's incredibly hard to get to the start line and, in fact, that's the hardest part of the challenge. So we want to enable people who are inspired to do this."

The aristocrat, who got married in September, spent his first Christmas as a newlywed away from his wife Camilla.

She said: "The toughest bit for the boys has been when there's been very little wind and they've described it as rowing through treacle.

"It's been relentless rowing all day and all night."