SWINDON rower Norman Butler has had another lucky escape as he continues his bid to row across the Atlantic.

His Spirit of Swindon boat was damaged after it moored along-side a passing freighter to take on supplies.

But fortunately the collision was not serious enough to stop Norman and his co-rower Phil Scantlebury from continuing with their epic journey.

The news of the collision was given to 36-year-old Norman's wife Linda in a 3am phone call from her husband to the couple's home in West Swindon.

Linda, 39, said: "Even though they had taken enough food to keep them going for 70 days they were starting to run out.

"This was because of the weather conditions.

"The water was relatively calm but they had been rowing against a fairly strong head wind which was sapping their strength and making progress difficult.

"They decided to contact a passing Panama registered freighter on their short wave radio.

"The Ukrainian crew gave them bread, fresh fruit, tins of sardines, two cans of beer and some potatoes.

"But when the freighter was ready to carry on its way it did not give Norman enough time to pull away and it buffeted the boat.

" Luckily the boat's oar riggers saved it from serious damage, but as it was, a mast carrying the navigation light and radar reflector was bent."

Despite the set back all the instruments are still working and Linda, who has an eleven week old baby daughter Melissa, said her husband was in good spirits.

"It was a bit stressful for him to start with but now monotony is the worse thing because they have to take it in turn to row for two hours and then have two hours to eat and sleep."

Norman and Phil had hoped to join another 36 boats in the official Ward Evans Atlantic Rowing Challenge, but because Phil was a late entry the pair were forced to row as unofficial entrants.

Two weeks ago they narrowly missed being sunk by a big freighter which apparently failed to see them.

Norman fired off a white collision flare as the ship loomed down on them and a collision was avoided by just yards.

n Several of the entrants in the official race have now finished and the first boat across the line was Telecom Challenge 1.

In fourth place was Bright Spark which was crewed by Tim Thurnham, 35 whose father farms at South Cerney and Will Mason, 28.

Among the other rowers the organisers say are still going strong are Julian McHardy, a company director from South Marston with Mark Williams who are aboard Boat 45, Mcllaid; and Tony Day a financial adviser for Zurich Financial Services who is aboard Boat 15, This Way Up, with Ian Chater.

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