Elijah's Star rowers cross Atlantic in memory of baby

Four friends rowing across the Atlantic in memory of a premature baby who lived for just 37 days have completed their challenge.

The rowers finished the 3,000 mile (4,800km) voyage in tribute to Elijah and other premature babies for charity.

The team raised £300,000 for Action Medical Research after finishing up in Antigua in the Caribbean on Saturday.

Phil, Mac, Dean and Jason, left La Gomera left the Canary Islands for the odyssey on Sunday 12 December.

They completed the journey in 41 days, crossing the finish line at 09:41 local time.

Elijah's mother Jenny Halse, from Sheffield, said: "We are in absolute awe of the strength the Elijah's Star team have shown over the past six weeks and are so touched that they did this in our son's memory.

"We hope that the money raised through this challenge can make a difference so that other babies' lives won't be cut so painfully short."

The boat carries the names of over a thousand premature babies and was named after baby Elijah, who was born at 25 weeks and three days, weighing 823g, in 2013. He lived for just 37 days.

Philip Bigland, Mac McCarthy, Dean Frost and Jason Kerr are friends who all served in the armed forces.

The annual Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge begins in early December with up to 30 teams participating from around the world.

The team battled extreme winds, scorching temperatures, painful blisters and sleep deprivation.

Action Medical Research helps fund research to treat babies and children in the UK and looks into the causes of premature birth and the complications that can arise from it.

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