Charlie Heckman from Frithelstock rowing club contacted us to let us know about a record breaking challenge that was completed by the team from his rowing club. The team of 10 took on the 100,000 metre row using only one machine.

Rowing caught on in the village of Frithelstock Stone, but you won't see the flash of oar blades skimming water. In fact, don't even expect to see a boat as the village with a population of just 300 people is landlocked. The nearest conventional type of rowing takes place eight miles away on the River Torridge at Bideford.

However, for the members of Frithelstock Indoor Rowing Club it is just as serious as pitting their strength and stamina against the current of a fast flowing river. It all started when Charlie Heckman (now the coach) moved into the village with his own Concept2 rowing machine and the idea to form the club was floated.

It's down to ten men who make up the Frithelstock Indoor Rowing Club, which sometimes trains in a cowshed & is also now home to a new world record - for rowing.

They rowed the equivalent of 100 kilometres (62 miles) as part of the Concept 2 rowing challenge on November 11.

They broke the records for their 40-49 age category after rowing the 100,000 metres between them in five hours 16 minutes and 43.3 seconds. The previous record was five hours, 32 minutes and 45 seconds.

Team captain Tony Sanders, 45, said the news of being a record holder hasn't quite sunk in.

He said: "We knew breaking the record might have been achievable but we still can't believe it. Afterwards we were all aching but we all had smiles on our faces."

Team members, who mainly come from farming backgrounds, train once or twice a week with their coach Charlie Heckman. Until they started training with Charlie many had never rowed before.

They practice in Frithelstock Village Hall when they can, though they have also held sessions in an open-sided cowshed if the hall was already booked.

Charlie, who has been indoor rowing for more than 20 years, said he is proud of what his squad has accomplished.

He said: "I have trained them very hard. That's the key to breaking records, I wasn't soft on them.

"It hasn't been an easy task for a small team but their confidence grew as they progressed with their training."

They have only one rowing machine, so the team took it in turns for 20 seconds each. As they neared the end, it dropped to 12 seconds.

Charlie said: "Everyone, including the reserves trained incredibly hard throughout the year."

Each man got around a three-minute rest break before they had to get ready for a smooth takeover on the machine.

Tony said the team's success is all down to Charlie's leadership. He said: "He is a fantastic coach and he put us through a gruelling process. Without him this wouldn't have been possible.

The team consisted of Tony Sanders, Chris Poole, Richard Bosher, Mark Priest, Steve Beer, Terry Warrington, Heath Pettifer, Mark Thomas, Martin Beer, Kev Beer. Reserves were Greg Ball and Steve Hunkin.