ROWERS George Rock and Nigel Morris are hoping to keep a world record attempt in the family.

The brothers-in law, from Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, are taking part in a non-stop maritime marathon from Newfoundland, Canada, to Falmouth, Cornwall, later this year.

The pair will be part of a four-man crew bidding to make it into the record books by completing the journey in 32 days.

The men, who each have two children and are married to sisters Julie and Elaine, face a 3,000-mile trip, with 12 hours of rowing each day and only dried food to eat.

Mr Rock, 39, a BT customer service engineer who completed a rowing trip from Tenerife to Barbados five years ago, said: "This attempt is about setting new standards in ocean rowing and breaking world records. We will be living life on the edge and pushing our bodies to extreme limits of physical effort, and I'm looking forward to every minute of it."

The men are spending their weekends in Poole, Dorset, getting in shape for the British Waterways sponsored-challenge with team-mates Mark Stubbs and Robert Munslow.

They plan to set off in their boat, the Atlantic Spirit, in June, if the weather conditions are right.

"It will be tough at times but that just gives you more of a sense of achievement," said Mr Rock.