World record paddle boarder returns to Torquay

People are tonight invited to help celebrate with water safety campaigner Brendon Prince as he returns to Torquay - following his World Record breaking paddleboard across the British mainland.

The former lifeguard, 48, set off 141 days ago and has been paddling for up to 16 hours a day - when conditions allowed - to secure his place in the history books.

He has only fallen off 14 times and expects to arrive in Torquay at 6pm - where supporters and fellow paddleboarders will gather and welcome him back. Brendon says he would welcome as much support as possible at the finish and today 'feels like Christmas' as his challenge comes to an end.

Brendon, originally from Wales but now living in Torquay, founded the Above Water charity after he tried to save two children from drowning in Cornwall in 2014 at Mawgan Porth - in an incident which also saw a third person lose their life.

Brendon hopes the record's legacy will be to encourage people to think about water safety and he's fundraising through the challenge to help fund an app for schools which would see a game created to teach youngsters about water safety.

The UK's paddleboarding superstar has also backed a safety campaign by the best friend of Simon Flynn, from Cheltenham, who drowned last Summer when the paddleboard ankle leash he was wearing got trapped under a boat mooring in Cornwall's Camel Estuary. The campaign is calling for retailers to supply more than just an ankle leash as standard with new purchases.

For more about The Long Paddle click here

For more about Brendon's charity Above Water click here

For more about the paddleboard leash safety campaign by Simon Flynn's best friend Sam click here, here or here

• the long paddle
• brendon prince the long paddle
• brendon prince completes the long paddle for above water charity