‘THE Rowing Marine’ Lee Spencer has decided not to embark on his attempt to become the world’s first physically disabled person to row solo from Europe to South America this year, following the death of his mother.

Amputee Lee, from Horrabridge, was in Gibraltar ready to undertake the challenge when he heard his mother was taken seriously ill and returned to the UK to be with her.

Sadly, Lee’s mum passed away shortly after.

On January 18, Lee issued a statement: ‘Today is the day I was going to start rowing from Ocean Village in Gibraltar to Venezuela. I think most people are by now aware that I postponed the row due to a sudden deterioration in the health of my mum that she didn’t recover from. I am absolutely heartbroken and currently not in a position to make any decisions about rowing.

‘However there are some facts I cannot change. As spring develops, north easterly winds in the Atlantic tend to move north making it harder to row to South America.

‘Rowing an ocean requires mental robustness as well as a high degree of physical fitness. It is extremely unlikely that I will be in the right state mentally within the current weather window, therefore I will not attempt the row this year.

‘I have a boat prepared, ready to go and thanks to the boat’s owner permission to keep her until summer 2019.

‘The reasons for rowing will be the same next year as they are now.

‘And more personally, my mother brought me and my sister up, in often very difficult circumstances, to be all that we can be.’