FOUR men from Hatherleigh have returned from a challenge to kayak around 300 miles of coastline, beating their target time by two days and raising £7,000.

Chris Brown-Martin, Matt Retter, Chris Lake and Steve Carter set off from Bude, navigating the north and south coasts of Cornwall and South Devon before arriving in Exeter last Saturday. They set themselves two weeks to complete the challenge but made it in 12 days.

The men knew it would not be a holiday messing about in a boat and were geared up for rip currents, rocks, other boats, sharks, dolphins and the temperamental weather.

Although they had difficult days, Chris said they were blessed with really good weather and the whole experience was amazing: 'It was absolutely beautiful. I would say to anyone to get out there and have a look. I think the really high point was when we got to the Lizard.

'For myself mentally the Lizard was a challenge because I was expecting it to be too rough. As it was it was dead flat and Land's End was the most difficult in that respect. It was a great team effort, we all worked together really well.'

For 30-year-old Chris, who suffers from Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, which causes deteriorating lung and liver function, the challenge was even greater but the ardent fundraiser said he was planning another escapade for two years' time.

The funds raised from the Bude to Exeter trip will be split between Alpha 1 Awareness UK, Surf Life Saving GB and the Cornwall and Devon air ambulance trusts.

Picture by Ian Snell