A Stoke-on-Trent resident is preparing to take on the 'world's toughest row'.

Martyn Horleston, a kitchen fitter from Stoke, is challenging himself to row across the Atlantic alongside his team, Old Enough To Row Better.

The team, founded by coastal rower Gail Wolstenholme, from Congleton, also includes Colin Anderson, head of sixth form at Stafford Grammar School, Jo Gittins, a paediatric nurse from Aberdyfi and Kevin Black, a retired US Marine who lives in Colorado.

They collect their Rannoch RX45 rowing boat later this month and will then spend 23 months preparing for the 3,000-mile journey.

Gail, a 55-year-old retired IT consultant, said: "We are all super excited!"

Gail has plenty of rowing experience, having taken part in the 21.6-mile Great River Race on the Thames on three occasions with three different rowing clubs.

Having wanted to do The World's Toughest Row for several years, Gail founded the Old Enough To Row Better team in February 2025.

The Old Enough To Row Better team was founded in February 2025 (Credit: Supplied)

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The team will embark on the crossing in December 2027, travelling unsupported from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Caribbean.

The five of them will have to live together on a 9.5-metre boat, making their own water and using a bucket as a toilet.

They will row two hours on and two hours off 24/7, dealing with 20-foot waves and strong winds

Along the way they face the possibility of marlin strikes – huge fish whose sword-like bills can penetrate the sides of boats.

One team in this year's race, which began on December 14, even had a whale diver underneath their boat.

Gail added: "Jo and I went out to the start line in La Gomera in December.

"We got to see the boats and teams preparing to leave. It became very real for us!"