ROWERS aim to stroke their way to a target 100 kilometres on a charity challenge - without leaving a leisure centre fitness room.

Each of the ten-strong team plans to row the equivalent distance of 10km on a static ergo-rowing machine in the Sport Relief event at Meadowfield Sports Centre, near Durham.

Each of the rowers, including leisure centre staff and members, will compete to see who can complete their 10km in the quickest time.

All sponsorship from the challenge will go to the Sport Relief fund, which combines Comic Relief and BBC Sport to help disadvantaged and vulnerable children across Britain and in the rest of the world.

Organiser Ned Tobin, from the leisure centre, said the public was welcome to attend and give a cheer to help the rowers.

"It's going to be more exciting than the Oxford and Cambridge race by miles.

"We're hoping to complete the 100km in less than seven hours.

"It will be really hard work for each of the team, who have all been practising really hard to perfect their stroke."

The rest of the oar-some ten are Glenn Robinson, Chris Philips, Kevin Wilkinson, Guy Goodlad, Simon Hibbett, Bob Chandler, John Bell, Mike Barkess and John Cook, who at 58 is the veteran of the crew.

The crew has the rest of the week to complete preparations before the challenge takes place on Saturday, starting at 8.30am.

Anyone wishing to sponsor the team can do so by contacting Mr Tobin, at the centre, on 0191-378 9888.