THE first all amputee team to row 3,000 miles unaided across an ocean have less than 100 miles to go on their monumental journey.

The Row2Recovery team — which includes Horrabridge’s Lee Spencer — have spent 44 days at sea and are currently in eighth place out of a fleet of 26 in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. They are expecting to finish tomorrow morning (Thursday).

They set off on December 20 to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean unaided in just a rowing boat as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge to raise awareness of life beyond injury for injured service men and women and to set a new world record for the first all amputee team to row an ocean.

Reaching the 100 miles to row marker today is a significant milestone in this 3,000 mile journey as it heralds the final stage of this endurance challenge.

Weather conditions meant the race was delayed and the team endured storms last week being locked in their air tight cabin for days at a time during the course of the first 2,000 miles. Two members of the team have been injured due to the grueling shift of two hours on, two hours off and one member broke his prosthetic leg during the first few weeks of rowing.

Despite all this they remain in the top ten boats to make it to land first and are currently fourth out of nine boats in the ‘fours’ class. They are well known for being referred to as ’Four men with three legs taking on one mighty ocean.’

Lee lost his right leg in January 2014 after he was hit by flying debris when he stopped to help the victims of an accident on the M3. As he aided those involved in the first accident, a second car smashed into the crashed BMW. The BMW’s engine was ripped out and flew across the carriageway, hitting Lee and knocking him over the crash barrier on the grass verge.

He has been joined on the challenge by former Irish Guardsman Paddy Gallagher who lost his right leg below the knee in an IED blast in Afghanistan in 2009, former RAF Flight Sergeant parachute jump instructor Nigel Rogoff, who lost his leg above the knee while taking part in an RAF parachuting display and Lance Corporal Cayle Royce.

Royce told Lee about his participation in the 3,000 mile race in 2013 and the idea stuck with Lee about rowing the Atlantic.

The team have doing the challenge to raise money for Help for Heroes, Blesma, Prince Harry’s Endeavour Fund and Row2Recovery.

To find out more visit www.row2recovery.com