Former Olympic gold medallist Greg Searle kicked off events at a 24-hour row-a-thon in the Bentall Centre over the weekend.

He joined lifeboat crew members from Chiswick and Teddington RNLI for the gruelling challenge, which started at noon on Friday.

The crew took it in turns to row continuously and cover the equivalent of the Thames, from its source to the sea - a distance of 215 miles.

Money raised will go towards the RNLI’s SOS day which, last year, saw the team don full protective gear and walk from Teddington to the Tower of London.

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