Stranded UWE rowers rescued from Atlantic

University West of England rowers, Lauren Morton, and Hannah Lawton have had to give up on their dream of rowing across the Atlantic, from Tenerife to Antigua - after over 90 days at sea with a broken rudder and dwindling supplies, while dealing with unusually bad storms.

The rowers set off before Christmas and made it 2,800 miles with 650 left, but after capsizing and breaking a rudder - in an accident in which Lauren also suffered a head injury - they have been drifting alone in the open ocean since, waiting for a supplies to mend the rudder.

According to the challenge rules, they would then have to mend the rudder themselves.

Now, with dwindling supplies and a satellite phone running low on battery, the pair finally admitted defeat and told organisers they would have to give up.

They had been waiting for rescue from organisers but were picked up by a Belgian cargo ship.

This means another 12 days at sea - with nothing but their sailing gear, as their clothes are awaiting them in Antigua.

The pair are now heading towards Canada, while their parents try to organise a flight home from Nova Scotia.

24 year old Lauren had taking part in the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge, sailing from Tenerife to Antigua. She and her sailing partner, Hannah, are the youngest female pair ever to take part and had hoped to break the Great Britain Women's pairs record.

They were rowing in memory of university friend Eleanor Rose Ellis who died of cervical cancer.

The race was won in January by Bridlington rower Mike Burton, along with team mate, Tom Salt, who reached the finish line in Antigua 40 days.