Pedalo power on the Thames (From Witney Gazette)

Pedalo power on the Thames

6:18am Saturday 26th July 2008 in Witney By David Horne

A group of friends are hoping to raise thousands of pounds for charity by navigating the length of the River Thames - in a pedalo.

Former footballing pals Bob Marchbank, 54, of Cogges, Peter Hutter, 45, of Witney, Dean Barber, 36, of Carterton and Dave How, 56, of High Wycombe, set off on the unusual 140-mile journey on Thursday.

The group left from Cricklade, near Swindon, and hope to finish at Teddington Lock in Surrey tomorrow after four frantic days pedalling through Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

The foursome are hoping to raise a total of £3,000 for Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Anthony Nolan Leukaemia Trust - and overtake a two-week River Thames charity pedalo challenge being skippered by the singer Will Young's brother.

The event marks four years of madcap fundraising events by Mr Marchbank, which has seen him row around the island of Jersey in seven hours and complete the Three Peaks Challenge by cycling the 500 miles between Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.

Mr Marchbank said: "Our biggest worry is that big pleasure cruisers in Henley won't see us so we're taking an air horn to make sure they'll hear us."